I Always Did Like Wolves and Blood Pops
by Lady Jade Scribbler
Summary: The war is over but the wizarding world grows darker. They once loved Coraline, Fem Harry, but when her heritage comes out they turn on her. Now, she and her odd pack of friends are off to Forks. Will Cora find what she seeks? Family? Happiness? Love?
1. Chapter 1

AN:

Hi, everyone! This is just another crazy new story that I've come up with. I hope you like it. I know, I know, I haven't updated anything else in _AGES_ but give me a break! I'm currently taking five college courses which include two writing emphasis and an oral emphasis. I _WOULD_ have the Outcasts Who Lived out for you by now but my damn computer just _HAD_ to erase _HALF_ the chapter I had written so I've been a bit put off, thanks. Anyway, This is a fun little crossover fic. I honestly am not that big of a twilight fan and Edward and Bella kinda get on my nerves but I was attacked by a twi-hard plot bunny so I had to write this. This features a female Harry, Draco and Luna as cousins, and a bad Ron, Hermione, Dumbledore, and maybe a few others. If you don't like that, you don't have to read it. If you do, however, feel free to leave me a review.

As far as pairings, the only one you get right off the bat is Remus/Tonks. I'm not gonna outright tell you what the other pairings are. I _WILL_ tell you, however, that Draco, Luna, Neville, and Coraline will each be paired with a Twilight character and not each other.

This will still be an Edward/Bella pairing and will somewhat follow Twilight cannon through Breaking Dawn. Yes, that means I do plan on having Renesmee exist but I don't intend to write her as a perfect, Mary-Sueish little angel girl. Also, Jacob will _NOT_ be imprinting on Renesmee as that's just _WRONG._ I know that their age difference wouldn't be as large as, say, Edward and Bella's but it was still disturbing, having Jacob see a little baby girl in that sort of way. I know how Meyer described it, that the wolf would be whatever their imprinted needed them to be but it just kinda bothered me. It's not the age difference so much as the fact that he imprinted on her as a baby. If a wolf imprints, in my story, the imprintee will be no younger than thirteen. This means that Clair will have a significant age boost as I don't plan on having Quil with a two-year-old in any capacity.

Anyway, back to cannon. Everything in New Moon did happen to a point. However, all that drama was condensed into a smaller amount of time. Bella and Alice went to Voltera in December, not April or May. Now, Bella and Edward are as lovey-dovey as they ever were. Lastly, I do plan on tweaking the Eclipse part of the story a bit. Victoria will play a major part in the story, not just as a villain but as more. I'm not saying she won't be a nasty piece of work but I plan on giving the woman some depth.

Anyway, I'm sorry for this long AN and hope you enjoy. As always, I beg you desperately to review all the stories of mine that you read. I love how many people alert and favourite my stuff. If you could just review when you do that, I would _LOVE_ that. Good reviews make me happy, flames keep me warm in the winter so whatever. And now, without further fanfare, I give you _I Always Did Like Wolves and Blood Pops._

AN 2: Revized as of Nov. 27, 2011

Chapter One: Exodus

_TARNISHED SAVIOUR: A CORALINE POTTER EXPOSE_

By Rita Skeeter

January 2, 2007

Ever since the battle in which He-Who-Must-Not-Be-Named was defeated, the wizarding public has been on edge, wondering whether or not one dark lord is being traded out for a dark lady that has the potential to be just as oppressive and cruel. Who is this dark lady, you ask? None other than Coraline Potter: Girl-Who-Lived and so-called twice-defeater of You-Know-Who.

Ever since that fateful day when Potter returned from the maze in the third task with the dead body of Cedric Diggory but no witnesses as to how the unfortunate lad was killed, the public have been wondering just what kind of a person their saviour truly was. The truth, dear readers? Coraline Elizabeth Potter: Girl-Who-Lived and twice-defeater of He-Who-Must-Not-Be-Named is not human at all. That's right, NOT HUMAN! With a desire to unveil the truth, I, my dear readers, did a little research on Miss Potter's genealogy. I was thoroughly shocked to discover what I did. The very knowledge I shall be imparting to you, my loyal readers, will rock our world.

We shall start off with the least shocking of her lineage. When looking into the Potter side of her family tree, I discovered something most curious. Henry Potter, father to James Potter, grandfather to Coraline Potter, took a Muggle-born wife with more than just humans in her ancestry. Her name was Leanne Raven Clearwater, an American who was two years behind Henry Potter and in Ravenclaw house. She is of no relation to Penelope Clearwater, one of the Profit's junior reporters. Leanne Clearwater haled from a Native American reservation outside a small town called Forks, Washington in the United States. Unlike her older brother, Simon, Leanne was a witch.

However, that is not the only sort of magic that ran through her veins. Many families in this Quilayute tribe were genetically different to others. According to Quilayute legend, they are descended from what they called Spirit Warriors who protected the tribe from evil. After a few generations, the so-called Spirit Warriors became what they are today: werewolves. Unlike our well-known werewolf who is forced to change at the full moon, these werewolves are more akin to shapeshifters, somewhat like animagi but different. The transformation, called phasing, has only occurred with the males of the tribe and only when a vampire is near. The males turn into an abnormally large wolf with extreme speed and strength. They all have a pack mentality and, whilst in wolf form, none of their thoughts can be easily hidden from others of their pack. There is a leader, called the alpha, whose commands are forced to be followed if he truly wishes it.

Before you, my most lovely perusers, grow too comfortable with the thought of Coraline Potter being descended from something like Muggle animagi, I must tell you about their more feral natures. First off, these shapeshifters have extremely short tempers and, without being provoked at all, will transform into snarling, out-of-control beasts. Also, they have a process called imprinting where there so-called nature calls to one of the opposite sex, even those who are not descended from their kind. They lure the unsuspecting human in and become extremely possessive, claiming them for themselves and nobody else. The poor human is trapped with no escape, forced to pander to the desires of the beast who ensnared them. This, my readers, is what James Potter was, what Coraline Potter is. As far as I have been made aware, our Tarnished Saviour is the first female of her kind.

I was not able to receive as much information on Lily Evans's family tree. I did, however, discover something shocking. Her Hogwarts records which, until now, were classified read:

Name: Lily Elizabeth Evans

Date Of Birth: January 30, 1970

Biological age: 11 years

Physical Age: 9 years, 3 months

Magical and mental age: 22 years

Emotional age: 12 years, 9 months

Species: One quarter human, three quarters vampire

That's right, the mother of our own saviour was a blood-sucking vampire whose nature was only slightly diluted by her minute amount of human blood. Everyone in our world knows what vampires are and what they are capable of. They are cunning, guileful creatures of extreme and sensual beauty but do not be taken in by smooth words passed through bloody lips. They _WILL_ kill you. Vampires are nothing but red-eyed monsters and it is a wonder how two, let alone one, were able to slip into our fine institution, Hogwarts. Decrees are now being set in place so such a travesty does not happen again.

For some of the naive readers out there who are still dwelling on the slightly more than a quarter of human blood that our Tarnished Saviour has, do not be fooled. During the long and drawn-out final battle, Coraline Potter was bitten by one of You-Know-Who's vampire servants. This was just as she was dealing the final blow to You-Know-Who. According to my sources, over the next three days in which a human would normally change into a vampire, our Tarnished Saviour's opposing genetics fought for dominance. The werewolf blood tried to eject the vampire transformation and push out her vampire heritage altogether whilst her vampire genes tried to overwrite the werewolf blood in her transformation. This resulted in both opposing bloodlines coming to a compromise of sorts. This left the Girl-Who-Lived with none of her humanity, her human blood flushed out of her system. She is now nothing but a blood-sucking, wolf-shifting beast. And to think, dear readers, that we actually _TRUSTED_ her so thoroughly. Many people have commented on our Tarnished Saviour and the path she has been taking that is now cemented by her transformations.

"Always knew there was something off about her." said Ronald Weasley, 16, in reference to his former friend and girlfriend. "She could get away with anything, I swear. And it was like she could lure you in with a few nice words and a flutter of those poison eyes. The sad thing is I actually DID think she was okay, once. But that all went down the loo when she entered herself into that tournament. And then, this year, she starts hanging out with blokes like Malfoy. I mean really! Did she think she could continue to fool me? Only _DARK_ witches and wizards hang out with _MALFOYS_ and I bet _SHE'S_ the darkest of the LOT! I _DID_ date her for a time, at least _SHE_ thought so. Really, I was just keeping an eye un her. Hermione is my _TRUE_ love." We can clearly see what he thinks on this particular subject. Now, we shall see what his long-time girlfriend, Hermione Granger, says.

"She was always too pretty. I _KNEW_ it couldn't be natural. She was always guileful and cunning, I bet she bedazzled the hat into putting her into Gryffindor instead of Slytherin. And she was always too smart, too quick with spells. It wasn't natural and, for all I know, she could have plucked the answers right out of my head with some sort of vampire gift of hers. And I saw her training with that Malfoy, using _DARK_ _SPELLS._ I confronted her but she just said she _NEEDED_ to learn what the so-called opposition was using. The sooner that she's been banished from this good country the better. We're all better off without her kind corrupting us." Hermione Granger, 17, stated heatedly. It is quite clear how the new Golden Couple feel about there X-best friend. But Albus Dumbledore is not without comment as well.

"I am very disappointed in Miss Potter. I truly thought, even despite her parentage, that she would remain steadfastly on the light side and not resort to her innate darkness. I suppose that an old man's folly is to blame. A stricter watch should have been kept on the girl but I never would have guessed she would have run away from Privet Drive upon her sixteenth birthday and into Draco Malfoy's arms shortly thereafter. I shall not make such a mistake again. From here on out, all those with nothing less than 100% human blood will NOT be permitted within the halls of Hogwarts. We shall be checking into every students bloodline extensively, including and especially the Muggle-borns, before they are officially entered and a check shall be done on all current..."

Coraline Potter slammed the newspaper down with an inhuman amount of strength. She cursed as the small table that served as the dining table in her flat teetered and toppled to the floor with a resounding BANG noise. Not wanting to break anything, she slowly, and wandlessly, levitated the table into its rightful position.

"Everything okay out here, Cora?" asked her flat-mate and one of her only true friends, Draco Malfoy.

"_GRRRRRRRRRR!_ Those fucking stupid motherfuckers don't know what the bloody fuck they're bloody talking about the bloody backstabbing fuck-faced _FUCKERS!_ What the bloody fuck are they _SAYING?_ I was always on their bloody side no matter what the fuck they bloody say to bloody justify themselves! And they make it bloody sound like we're fucking _DATING_ when it's more like you're my fucking _BROTHER!_ I bloody _HATE_ those stupid _MOTHERFUCKERS!"_ she ranted angrily, her skin temperature heating up and the little blood she had trickling into her cheeks to make a fantastically crimson blush against her vampire-pale skin.

"Well I _HOPE_ I'm not your _FUCKING_ brother, Coraline." Draco smirked.

"_SHUT_ the bloody fuck _UP."_ she snarled, her blush growing more pronounced.

"Whoa whoa whoa, Cor. We've not enough space for you to explode in here. Just wait awhile longer, okay?" Draco asked.

"Yeah yeah, whatever, Coco. Where's Lu and Nev?" Coraline asked him.

"Meh, you know they're sleeping. Are you all packed?" he asked her, sitting down across from her.

"What do you think, Coco? I've been packed for _AGES!_ You _DO_ realise that this is my family we're talking about, right?" she asked.

"Of COURSE I do... at least you've GOT one to..." Draco started heatedly but trailed off at the hurt look on his friend's face. "God, I'm so sorry, Cora. I'm such an insensitive prat sometimes, aren't I? I know you want to get to know your family and I don't blame you. It's just hard for me because my father's dead, my mother's in prison, and they stopped giving a damn when I said I didn't want to be a Death Eater." Draco sighed. Coraline had found him not long after that day she had ran from the Dursleys and been allowed to take the unoccupied flat above the Weasley twins joke shop. There he was in an alcove of NOCTURNE Alley, beaten, hexed, and bloody. She knew that a Death Eater's son would NEVER be given proper treatment at St. Mungo's so she took him up to her flat and healed him the best way she knew how, the Muggle way. This was the way she had healed herself a number of times when the beatings from the Dursleys, especially her aunt, were actually able to hurt her. In retrospect, if she were normal, they would have killed her a long time ago. Also, now that she thought about it, her aunt was the one who could hurt her more than her uncle and, to a lesser extent, cousin could.

Over that long summer, they had talked and gotten to know each other and were now like brother and sister. Later that school year, Luna and Neville had been brought into the fold and they were now all like one big, odd family. It helped that Draco and Luna were actually cousins. Luna's mother was the disowned Artemis Malfoy, twin to Lucius Malfoy.

"Trust me, Coco, you're not NEARLY as insensitive a prat as Ronald Weasley, even in your bad-boy days. On an RWPS of 1 to 10 you rank about a three." Coraline laughed, the soft giggles sounding like harmoniously tinkling bell chimes.

"_OI!_ I'll have you know that I'm _STILL_ a bad-boy... just not like I was." Draco sputtered indignantly.

"Hahaha, SURE you you are, Coco." his friend laughed.

"I really _AM!_ And would you _PLEASE_ stop calling me _COCO?"_ he demanded.

"Hmmm... NOPE! I think it's a _CUTE_ nickname." Coraline smirked.

"I don't _DO_ cute, Coraline. You're sure a lot more bubbly than usual, aren't you?"

"_Yup!_ The two of us have taken everything we have in our vaults and estates and transferred them to Gringotts America and Neville and Luna have all their family money as well. I think we're good to go. It's 9:00 now, we need to be at Heathrow by eleven for our 3:00 flight out of this place." Coraline grinned.

"Yeah. So, Remus and Tonks are meeting us their, right?" Draco asked. He was, of course, referring to Remus Lupin, a known true werewolf, and Nymphadora Tonks, Remus's fiance. Most magical creatures who could were flying out of England like bats out of hell. They knew that if they stayed than they would be oppressed, enslaved, or worse, executed. This was why the six of them were leaving. The five were on Coraline's side and they wouldn't see her treated like shit by the very community she had saved. Remus and Tonks knew that they were both high on the ministry's shit-list as well for the fact that A: they supported Coraline, B: Remus was a known werewolf, and C: Tonks was his fiance. It wasn't as if Tonks, Draco, Luna, and Neville were truly safe from the ministry even if they weren't Cora's friends. Each of them had some non-human ancestry anyway and the ministry would be after them. Some of their fully human friends, such as the Weasley twins, Patil twins, Gryffindor chasers, and the Creevy brothers would be staying in England. Although Neville's gran was fully human, her son had married a non-human woman and she would be looked down upon. She had given Neville all the Longbottom money except for enough to tide her over until her death and would move to New Zealand within the week. Luna's father had died in the war so she was left with the Lovegood fortune. Tonks's parents had already gone to British Columbia a few days ago. Many countries all over the world were allowing magical creatures and those of creature ancestry to seek asylum. Thankfully, America was one of them. Coraline shook her head and focused on Draco's question.

"Yeah. They should be meeting us in baggage check. I can't wait, Draco, really. For the first time, I'll have _FAMILY!_ Do... do you think that... that the Clearwaters will like me even though I'm... you know... half like their sworn enemy species?" the young woman, who looked even younger by biting her lower lip in a nervous fashion, asked her surrogate brother in a small voice.

"I don't know," Draco said candidly, he was never one to sugar-coat things. "We'll just have to wait and see but, if they're so small-minded that they get stuck on your other half than they're not worth knowing anyway."

"You think?" she asked. Draco could hardly believe, for all her false bravado in Hogwarts, that she was really so insecure but he knew she was.

"No, I don't think. I KNOW. You are Coraline Elizabeth Potter, damnit, and I can't think of anyone MORE worth knowing... except perhaps my handsome self." Draco said, puffing out his chest in a proud and cocky manner. Coraline giggled.

"Thanks, Draco, I think I'll be okay now." she smiled. Coraline Potter might have looked just past her fourteenth birthday but she was as smart as a genius 32-year-old and, emotionally, she was just over half way between eighteen and nineteen. This was a trait that, apparently, she held in common with her mother. From the spells that she, Draco, and Luna were able to find, even without her human blood she was still aging and would continue to do so until about the age of twenty. She would appear around seventeen and a half then. Even after her physical body stopped growing, though, she'd continue to grow mentally, magically, and emotionally. That was what was assumed because her mother didn't age a day past her 20th birthday.

"Good. Let's not think about all that negative stuff, huh? How about we wake our brother and sister up?" Draco grinned. Coraline matched it easily.

"Allow me, brother, allow me." she smirked.

A couple hours later saw all four teens entering the airport at the British Airways terminal. Draco and Coraline were both grinning while Neville and Luna were sulking somewhat. Before this year, Coraline would have never guessed at how much Luna and Neville loathed getting up in the mornings. She would have thought Neville, at least, would be more of a morning person, working on his plants or whatever. When she had asked, he'd said, "I'll do as the plants and wait for the sun before I do anything meaningful, thanks." she had simply shrugged. Luna had inherited, as she'd learned, the Malfoy sarcasm and general snarkiness and put it to good use in the mornings.

A few people looked at the four oddly as they entered the building and got in the long, sprawling line. They were four teenagers, after all. Each of them had a few bags with them. They all had a suitcase which was actually magical on the inside. All four had everything they owned in those suitcases in different compartments. They had clothes in one, books and writing supplies in another, gold in a third, and family and personal heirlooms and artifacts in the fourth. The only thing that the Muggles would ever see was the clothes compartment; the other three were undetectable to any sort of scan, Muggle or magical. Aside from their four-compartment suitcases, each of them had individual carry-ons. Draco would bring a smaller-looking, Muggle-styled wheeled suitcase with him on the plane. In it were all of his potions things including cauldrons, scales, preparation supplies, ingredients, and completed potions. He didn't trust the Muggles not to lose it. If the security were to look inside, they would only see arbitrary things like books, a blanket, and a pillow. Neville carried a similar suitcase. However, inside it were seeds and cuttings of all the magical and non-magical plants he thought would thrive in the rich, wet soil of Forks. Muggles would see things similar to what they'd see in Draco's when they searched the suitcase. Luna carried two things. the first was a purse. Luna's purse was a magically expanded Duney and Berk and it was bright, sunny yellow. The shape was round and multi-coloured DB's covered all but the straps. Even the zipper was rainbow-coloured. It was smallish in circumference and had a leather handle to carry it by hand or wrist as well as two thin leather backpack-like straps. Luna wore it like a backpack on her back. In her left hand, she carried an ordinary-looking animal carrier. All that Muggles would see when they looked in was Luna's white toy poodle, Snorkel. In reality, it was a magical familiar carrier that could be purchased with ease at any magical menagerie. None of the four trusted the Muggles with their pets. Lastly, their was Coraline's luggage. Over one shoulder, resting on her left hip was a purse very similar to Luna's. However, it was a bit bigger around and, instead of being bright yellow, it was black. It still had the rainbow zipper and the multicoloured DB's all over it, though. In her right hand, she carried a hard, black guitar case. On the lid near the top was an etched image of a lily. The petals were a deep, dark red and the stem and centre were green. Etched in an arch above it in flowing gold script was the name Lily Elizabeth Evans. Below it, reverse-arched in the same flowing gold script was the name Coraline Elizabeth Potter. Inside it was one of Coraline's most prized possessions, her mother's guitar. Also, inside the slightly expanded case were her mother's journals, music books, stories, etc. Coraline had added to the collection herself with her own diaries, songs, and stories. She wouldn't feel right about having her mother's guitar in some cramped space beneath the seating area of the plane so she carried it.

"_MERLIN_ this line is long. We'll _NEVER_ get to the front." Draco moaned. Irritated, he brushed an arrent strand of platinum hair out of his silvery eyes and off his fair-skinned forehead. Sometimes, his eyes seemed silver, at other times, they seemed blue or grey. Draco had more of a lean, runner's body. He was just shy of six feet but he was content with that. A lot of girls around the terminal were stealing glances at him. They would, of course, as Draco was a quarter veela on his father's side. His ears held a slight point as the Blacks had a history of dark elves in their blood. However, the veela nature was most noticeable. It had come from his grandmother, apparently. Today, Draco wore a pair of black boots, dark blue jeans, a black jacket, and a green sweater with a coiled silver snake on the front that had green eyes. His right wrist sported a black-faced watch with silver hands and emerald numbers. The band was green dragon hide.

"Don't be so melodramatic, Coco, we'll get their soon enough." Coraline reprimanded him. Her long, dark red curls were down today and she wore a light blue headband on her head. Her curly bangs, thankfully, covered her lightning-bolt scar and almost fell into her large, emerald eyes. She looked roughly two years younger than she actually was but she had already reached five five. Both her parents had been tall, her father was six three and her mother was five ten. Coraline wore white trainers, faded blue jeans, a brown leather winter jacket, and a light blue sweater with a white silhouette of a grand castle on the front. In her ears were a pair of emerald studs and diamond danglies. Around her neck was a beautiful gold necklace with an emerald heart pendant. This had once been her mother's. Also, hanging beside the pendant, their was a beautiful gold ring with a diamond in the middle surrounded by emeralds and rubies. This was her mother's wedding ring and she never let it out of her sight. Around her left wrist was a gold charm bracelet with a lion, snake, eagle, badger, book, sword, claw, and fang. Her right wrist sported a gold wristwatch with a white face and emeralds at the 12, 3, 6, and 9 marks.

"Whatever. Say, where are those two, anyway? Aren't they supposed to meet us here?" Draco asked.

"I don't know, cousin. Maybe they're getting a little extra sleep. After all, their flat isn't infested with cold-water spritelings or Discordant Drum-breakers... wait... that was just my obnoxious sister waking me up, wasn't it?" Luna asked grouchily. Her somewhat scraggly, dirty blond hair was put up into two plaits with striped pink and yellow ribbons and her long bangs were parted to the right, a few strands falling into her right eye. Luna had Draco's same eye colour except her eyes were a bit larger, more protuberant. Her skin was a bit more tan in colour. She was a petite girl, barely sixteen, and just scraped five two in height. Her ears had a bit of a natural point to them. Luna's father was a wood elf and had passed many of those traits onto his daughter. Luna had also inherited the quarter veela blood from her and Draco's grandmother but the elf blood suppressed it somewhat. Her eclectic fashion sense showed through in what she was wearing. She wore a blue winter jacket, a bright pink sweater with a yellow unicorn on it, and a flowing, fuzzy yellow skirt. The shoes on her little feet were white with splashes of different colours streaked through and, just below her skirt, knee-length rainbow socks could be seen. She wore her same radish earrings and butterbeer cork necklace which, she had told them, were once her mother's. She wore a silver charm bracelet on her left wrist similar to Cora's except instead of the sword, fang, and claw their was an arrow, a feather, and a leaf. On her right wrist was a watch with a bright pink band, a sunny yellow face, purple hands, and rainbow-coloured numbers.

"Well at least _YOU_ didn't have some annoying _GIT_ threaten to take a _CUTTING_ off your _MIMBULUS_ _MIMBLETONIA."_ Neville huffed. Neville had really grown up over the last few years. He was quite tall, at least six one, and had broad shoulders. He was naturally a bit dark-skinned and his eyes were warm and brown. His hair, which he wore almost to his shoulders, was dark brown and somewhat shaggy. His colouring and height had, apparently, come from his mother's side of the family. Alice Yuley was another of the LaPush Quilayutes to come to Hogwarts. Neville had first phased on the battlefield more than a week ago. Neville wore black shoes, pants, and a dark red turtleneck sweater under a black denim jacket. On his right wrist was a watch much like Draco's except the hands were gold, the numbers red, and the band was red dragon hide.

"_OI..._ I said I was sorry... bloody crazy..." Draco trailed off, shuddering.

"What'd I say, Coco?" Coraline asked sweetly.

"Let _YOU_ wake him up." Draco mumbled.

"That's right! If you'd been in Gryffindor, you would _KNOW_ how scary Nev here is with his plants. I mean, look what he did to that Weasley git back in fourth year." Coraline said, grinning.

"It wasn't my bloody fault the stupid _ARSEWIPE_ decided to take a cutting off my Ignis Lilium. Because of him, the whole plant died. Bastard _DESERVED_ the bloody hexing as far as _I'M_ concerned." Neville grumbled. Fourth year was when Coraline was becoming better friends with Neville and he was starting to come out of his shell a bit more.

"Yeah... a good hexing, too... bloody scary..." Coraline muttered, shuddering theatrically.

"Awe, is the big, bad, Cora Potter _SCARED?"_ Draco grinned.

"_OI!_ You would be, too, if you'd seen that ferocity in his eyes. Plus, _I_ wasn't the one who screamed like a _GIRL_ this morning!" Cora taunted.

"_WAIT!_ My ickle cousykins screamed like a _GIRL?_ I have _GOT_ to here _THIS."_ came a voice from behind the four. Standing there were Remus and Tonks, both grinning. Each pulled suitcases much like those of the teenagers behind them. Remus carried a smaller suitcase, like Neville's and Draco's, with different defensive and training equipment inside. Tonks carried a bright, bubblegum pink Duney much like Cora's and Luna's. Hers was a backpack style like Luna's. Also, the young metamorphmagus carried an expanded duffle bag that was filled to bursting with Muggle electronics. Surprisingly, Tonks was quite the computer whiz.

"What happened?" Remus asked them. Remus looked a little worn from the previous full moon but good overall. His eyes were a light, amber brown and his hair was medium brown in colour. His skin was naturally tanned and a few scars could be seen on his face. Remus was lean and a bit wiry, reaching a height of about five nine. He wore a pair of sensible brown shoes, khaki slacks, and a lite green, button-up top under a brown jacket. On his right wrist was an equally sensible watch with a white face, black numbers, silver hands, and a brown leather band.

"Oh, it was a brilliant show. Draco and I decided to wake Neville and Luna up this morning. I said I'd take Neville but Draco _INSISTED_ he be the one to wake him up. Well, what draco did was threaten to take a cutting off his Mimbulus Mimbletonia. Next thing I know, Draco's screaming like a girl, running out their bedroom with bright pink hair and boils. And here comes Neville, furious and pajama-clad with his wand blazing right behind him." Coraline laughed. Remus and Tonks joined in followed by Neville and Luna.

"Sure, fine, laugh at a poor bloke's misfortune, why don't you?" Draco huffed.

"Awe, there there, little cousin. No need to sulk now." Tonks grinned. Reluctantly, she was in her normal appearance that day. Tonks was slim and reached five seven in height. She looked a lot like a Black with aristocratic features and silky black hair which was cut in a cute, sassy style just above her shoulders. However, she had her father's dark hazel eyes which always sparkled in amusement. Her skin was nearly as pale as Coraline's. It was to be expected, really, as she was a quarter vampire herself, on her father's side. Her ears held a slight point to them from the bit of dark elf blood that she had inherited from the Black side of the family, much like Draco. Tonks was dressed in a sassy style, like always. She wore some black trainers with different colours swirled through, a pair of faded blue jeans with a patch on the left knee, and a black Weird Sisters T-shirt underneath her bubblegum pink winter jacket. Her ears sported large, silver hoop earrings and a pair of amethyst danglies. Around her neck was a black choker with a teardrop-shaped amethyst stone hanging from it. Her left wrist had a bracelet like Luna's and Cora's except the last three charms were a bullet, fang, and thorn.

"Malfoys do _NOT_ sulk. They simply... erm... contemplate. Yeah, that's it, _CONTEMPLATE._ You got that, _NYMPHADORA?"_ Draco asked.

"Don't call me _NYMPHADORA!"_ the twenty-something growled. Luckily, they were the next people in the queue and were motioned forward at that moment.

"ID? Passport?" asked the bored man behind the desk. The six of them all pulled them out and showed them as well as their tickets.

"Will you be checking any bags today?" he asked. They nodded. Remus handed over his brown suitcase first. It was promptly followed by Tonks's pink and silver one, Draco's green and silver one, Neville's dark red and gold one, Luna's dark blue and bronze one, and Coraline's black and gold one.

A few more hours and they were all boarding the plane. They were all, except Tonks, shocked at just how big the plane was. Tonks had flown before with her parents. Their were two isles to the plane and three sections of seats. Luckily, the six had first-class seats in two rows of three on the right side of the plane. After stowing their carry-ons, they all chose their seats. In the very front row, Neville took the isle seat followed by Remus in the middle and Cora by the window. Luna sat in the isle followed by Tonks in the middle and Draco by the window just a row behind them. They would be taking this flight all the way to Seattle-Tacoma International Airport. From there, they would take a connecting flight to Port Angeles and drive to their new home. As the plain lifted off the tarmac, they all smiled. They would make a home out of Forks yet. This was a brand new start for them and they were going to take it with both hands.


	2. Chapter 2

AN:

Hi, everyone! I am _SO_ happy with the alerts and stuff I got on this story. After the first night, I had, like, fifteen notices in my inbox and I was _SO_ _HAPPY!_ Anyway, I love that so many people are enjoying this. But, if you favourite or alert my stories, could you _PLEASE_ review? Anyway, I hope you like the next chapter. It's a teensy bit longer than the last which is good, right? Have fun!

AN 2: Revized as of Nov. 27, 2011

Chapter Two: A New Home and Cora Confusion

The six of them finally arrived in Port Angeles at 11:30 PM local time which was 6:30 AM Greenwich Mean Time. It had been an exhausting flight, even for Tonks and Coraline who didn't need to sleep nearly as much.

"Damn, I'm bloody _EXHAUSTED."_ Draco groaned as they exited the tiny plane they'd come to Port Angeles on.

"Awe, c'mon, Draco. You're usually up at this time." Coraline said cheerily.

"Yeah, but that's when I actually get to sleep properly." he huffed.

"Plus," Luna scowled, "It's eleven-bloody-thirty at _NIGHT_ here."

"Cheer up, little cuz. This is a brand new _ADVENTURE!"_ Tonks said, an ear-to-ear grin on her face. Even though Luna was technically _NOT_ Tonks's cousin, she still addressed her as such since she was her cousin's cousin.

"Give me an adventure any day, just not today." Remus said tiredly, leaning somewhat on Tonks and rubbing his eyes. Neville simply nodded mutely. After a quick stop at baggage claim to get their suitcases, the six were off to the parking lot where they had arranged to pick up one of their cars. It was a gleaming charcoal silver Ford Expedition Limited with all the bells and whistles. It was the newest model, 2007. Cora, in particular, was excited about the car, she just loved the things.

"So, shall I drive?" she asked, grinning.

"_NO!"_ everyone but Tonks exclaimed. Coraline was a crazy driver and Tonks wasn't much better. All six had received their drivers licenses ahead of time so it wasn't really an issue whether or not any of them could drive.

"How about me?" Tonks grinned.

"_NO!"_ was her resounding answer, even from Cora who wanted to drive badly.

"I shall drive." Remus said firmly. "It would look odd if anyone saw us, two adults in the car, and neither of us were driving. Tonks would make us all, except maybe Cora, sick so I will drive."

"Fine." Tonks and Cora said sulkily. Slowly, they all loaded up their luggage into the back end of the car and got in. Before anyone could say anything, Luna got into the SUV and sprawled out on the third-row seat.

"Mine!" she said tiredly.

"Erm... Luna? I'm not sure that's legal." Coraline said carefully.

"Shut up, Cor, you bloody hypocrite." Luna snapped, shutting her eyes.

"Whatever." Coraline shrugged. Draco was already in so she got in beside him followed by Neville. Tonks sat shotgun in the front. Stretching and shutting the door, Remus started the car and they pulled out of the parking lot.

Remus was a slow, careful driver who didn't take any risks. Because of this, it took them until well after midnight to get to Forks. By the time Cora could see the welcome sign, Luna was lightly snoring in the back seat and Draco and Neville were both leaning on her. Draco's mouth was open and he was drooling somewhat while Neville sported a silly grin on his face. The house that they had purchased through the goblins was right outside of town, in the woods. Remus turned to the left and onto the curvy, paved driveway at last. After about a quarter mile drive, they reached the top of the driveway which branched into a circle surrounding a fountain and met up again on the other side. Right in front of them was a three-story house made of log with double front doors made of oak. To the left, at a 3:00 position on the circular part of the driveway, their was a large, glass-walled greenhouse that was, as of yet, devoid of any life. To the right, directly across from the large greenhouse, their was a log outbuilding which had been made into a multi-car garage.

"Oi, sleepy-heads, we're home!" Coraline said, shaking both Neville and Draco awake.

"Huh?" they muttered.

"I _SAID,_ you idiots, that we're _HOME."_ Coraline huffed.

"I am _NOT_ an idiot." Draco said indignantly.

"Sure you aren't, Coco, because _EVERY_ bloke drools on themselves, right?" Cora grinned mischievously.

"I do _NOT_ _DROOL!"_ Draco exclaimed.

"Sure sure. At least all _NEVILLE_ here does is grin like an idiot in _HIS_ sleep."

"Yeah, at least I... _ HEY!"_ neville said, tiredly at first but then more alert as he woke up. Cora laughed.

"C'mon, you two, let's get out and see the house." she nudged them both with her elbows. Grumbling, the teenagers opened the door and got out, shortly followed by Coraline. Once she was out, she folded the seat forward for Luna to get out only to discover that the girl was fast asleep on the seat.

"Luna... c'mon, Luna... wake _UP."_ Coraline said forcefully.

"_EXPELLIARMUS!"_ Luna shouted, pointing her wand at Coraline. The red-head only had enough time to squeak before she was catapulted through the air. Doing a few mid-air flips, she landed on the front porch of the house.

"You're _DAMN_ lucky I'm not human, Luna Celestine Lovegood!" she hollered, shaking her head.

"Heh-heh... oopsies?" Luna said sheepishly, getting out of the car.

"C'mon, _CHILDREN."_ Tonks said. "Help Wolfy and I get the bags out, woncha?"

"Yeah yeah." Luna and Cora both groaned, echoed by Neville and Draco.

With all of their things in hand, the six went up onto the covered porch and opened the front door. They were all quite pleased with the house. The floor was wood and the walls were panelled. Also, the house had high, log ceilings. The room that they entered into was a simple entryway with a golden chandelier hanging from the high ceiling in the middle of the room. The staircase was to the left. It went up a few stairs and then it turned to the right to go up the rest of the way. The staircase which led to the second floor, (third floor to us Americans,) was right next to the top of the first staircase. it went up a few steps but the stairs the rest of the way faced the same as the first flight of stairs to the first floor. Both the first and second floors had open balconies with which one could look down onto the ground floor. Luckily, the staircases were log and so they blended well with the ceiling and didn't look too obstructive. They all knew that the ground floor held a study/homework room, a living room, small bathroom, laundry room, and a kitchen/dining room combination. The first floor held five bedrooms. Three of them had a bathroom to themselves. THE other two rooms would have to share a hall bathroom. On the second floor was a training/duelling room, a potions lab, and a library. The house was perfect. It was large only because it needed to be with all six of them. It wasn't too fancy or ostentatious. As they went up to their rooms to receive a well-earned nights sleep, each of them fell into dreamland with a smile on their face. This house was going to be perfect.

As Remus, Tonks, Coraline, Draco, Neville and Luna settled into their new house, their newest neighbours sat idol in their house, stuck in a state of eternal wakefulness. Carlisle Cullen, the blond patriarch of the vampire coven, was pouring over the most recent edition of a medical text. He was a doctor and always tried to keep up with the newest advances in medicine. He was a marvel in the vampire world for the fact that he had never once feasted upon a human. He had brought his bloodlust into such control that he was able to work around ill patients and the most bloody of injuries with ease. He was the founder of this coven of seven who called themselves a family. They all, like him, only drank blood from animals. Unlike him, however, they had each slipped up at least once. Rosalie was the only one who had never drank human blood other than Carlisle. However, she _HAD_ killed before.

Carlisle's wife and mate, Esme, hovered over the stove, a few strands of her shoulder-length, caramel hair falling into her eyes. She was making a batch of cookies. She sincerely hoped that Bella, Edward's human girlfriend, would appreciate them. It had been a bumpy road with those two starting with Jasper's almost attack of Bella back in September, Bella jumping off that cliff, and Edward almost getting himself killed in December. She was truly pleased that her family was all together again. Esme was a caring soul who hated seeing her family in strife and emotional turmoil. She just wanted them all to be happy. Every day, she thanked her lucky stars that she was able to have the family she never had as a human.

As the scent of chocolate chip cookies wafted into the living room, it reached the noses of Jasper and Emmett. They were two of Carlisle and Esme's children of a sort. Jasper had been a general in the confederate army back in the civil war and had not been turned by Carlisle. He had a lean, muscled build and was covered with, perhaps, hundreds of bite scars that the human eye could barely detect. He was an empath with the ability to feel and manipulate emotions. His hair was short and blond. Emmett, on the other hand, had been turned after Rosalie had found him, mauled horribly by a bear. He was broad and tall in stature with dimples and an infectious grin. His dark brown curls just added to his charm. Emmett was just like a big kid most of the time. The two brothers were currently engrossed in a video game of some sort on their X-Box.

A few feet away, a beautiful blond vampire flipped idly through a car magazine. Her name was Rosalie and she was the third person that Carlisle had turned into a vampire, just behind Edward and Esme. She had been found in the streets of Chicago after being raped, assaulted, and left to die by her fiance and his buddies. All Rosalie ever wanted was a baby but she could never have that as a vampire. She hated being what she was because of this fact and didn't understand Edward's little human's obsession with being turned into one. The only humans Rosalie had ever killed were her ex-fiance, Royce, and his buddies. She never drank their blood, though. Rosalie's lips quirked as Emmett pumped a fist into the air in triumph. He was one of the only good things about being a vampire. He was such a goofball sometimes but she loved him dearly. His mischievous smile, dimples, and curly hair always made Rosalie want to melt, even when she was hacked off at him for some act of idiocy.

At a table in the corner of the room, the last two children, so to speak, of the Cullen family played an intense game of chess. First was Alice, a little pixy of a girl with spiky black hair. She was Jasper's mate and had found him in a cafe before they had met up with Carlisle and his family. Alice could not remember a single thing of her human life except her preferred name. It had been found out last spring that she had been a patient at an asylum when she was bitten. Her full name was Mary-Alice Brandon and she could see the future. This made this particular game interesting as Edward could read minds. He was the first of Carlisle's children and hated being a vampire. However, he had recently fallen in love with a human girl, Isabella Swan whom Rosalie intensely disliked. Edward had been bitten by Carlisle in 1918 when he was dying from the Spanish Influenza. He could remember some things about his life like his parents, Elizabeth and Ed senior. He also could, though he didn't like to, remember about little Cory. Cory was his baby sister and he assumed that she had died from the flu. He rarely dwelled on that, on what might have been.

Suddenly, Alice stopped just as she was moving one of her pawns on the board. Her golden eyes grew a far-away look to them and her expression became vacant. It only lasted a split second before Alice snapped out of it, grinning broadly. Edward had seen a bit of what she saw and was confused by it. It was blurry like something being watched through an old or dirty television, the images not exactly clear.

-Flash-

"_GHAAAAA!_ You are _SO_ dead, _CORALINE_ _ELIZABETH!_ I'll enlist an army of ninja monkeys and they shall _KILL_ _YOU!"_ a girl who looked to be blond shouted, jumping out of bed. She seemed to be soaking wet.

"Haha! Catch me if you _CAN,_ Lulu!" a perky, feminine voice exclaimed.

"I will, Cory, I _WILL."_ the blond said fiercely. As the girl, presumably Lulu, chased the other girl out of the room, all either Edward or Alice could see was a flash of green eyes and a stream of curly hair of an undeterminable colour.

-End Flash-

"Huh?" Edward said aloud. "That was... odd. Did you catch anything more I couldn't glean from your mind, Alice?"

"Oh yes. I couldn't see much, it was all blurry, but I _DO_ have a _Very_ good feeling about whoever they are." Alice grinned.

"Like what kind of feeling?" Carlisle asked his youngest daughter curiously.

"Like their's gonna be a really big change coming up. Like a feeling of family. And I don't know how I know this but it's like it has something partly to do with you, Edward."

"Good. Maybe he'll find someone more _WORTHY_ than a week-willed little _HUMAN."_ Rosalie said with an annoyed sniff. An angry growl bubbled out from Edward's throat at the insult to _HIS_ Bella.

"No no," Alice was quick to assure, "it's not like that at all. It's tied with his past or something... I can't tell how... it's odd, really. I've never had visions that were all fuzzy like this before. I mean yeah, I've lost sight of the future sometimes because of those wolves down at LaPush but I've never had something like _HALF_ a vision."

"Hmmm, that _IS_ interesting." Carlisle mused. "Feel free to tell us if you see anything else, okay?"

"Of course." Alice said happily. Edward didn't really hear any of this. He was focused more on Alice's vision. "Coraline Elizabeth," "Coraline Elizabeth," "_CORALINE_ _ELIZABETH!"_ The name replayed itself over and over in his head. He kept hearing it like a broken record which was stuck on a certain point. That was what the girl in Alice's vision was called. But it just _COULDN'T_ be her, could it? His baby sister? No, no, it couldn't be. His dear, sweet baby sister. She would be how old now? 97? No, even if she _HAD_ lived through the influenza, which he severely doubted, she would be long dead by now anyway. But he still couldn't help trying to remember her. Fuzzy memories kept rushing through his head like an avalanche.

-Flash One-

"Edward, this is your baby sister." a woman with his bronze hair and emerald eyes said tenderly. A bundle could be seen in her arms.

"Wow... she's so _SMALL._ What's her name, Mom?" a nine-year-old Edward asked her.

"Her name is Coraline Elizabeth." Edward's father, a tall, well-muscled man with merry brown eyes and coppery red hair grinned proudly.

"Oh." young Edward breathed in awe. "I can't believe I have a little sister."

"You do, son. And you'll love and protect her like all good big brothers do, won't you?" his father asked, a grin touching his lips.

"Of course! I promise that I won't let you down." Edward said with conviction. Then, looking into his sister's eyes, which were still baby blue, he said, "I'll always protect you, baby sister, _ALWAYS."_

-Flash Two-

"What did Mom tell you about sneaking into the candy dish before supper, Coraline Elizabeth?" a twelve-year-old Edward reprimanded his sister.

"I sowwy, Eddie." an adorable three-year-old with two plaits of muted copper curls and big, emerald eyes said unrepentingly. In her little hands, she held a half-finished lolly. Her tiny hands, along with the lower half of her face, were covered in sticky, purple lolly goop.

"Sure you are. Why did you do it, Cory?" he asked.

"I jus' wanded de wowwy pop, Eddie." she said sweetly.

"Of course you did. Awe, Mom'll _NEVER_ let me babysit you _EVER_ _AGAIN._ Oh well. C'mon, Cory. Let's get you washed up." Edward sighed, swinging the little girl up onto his hip. The toddler smiled angelically at him as they left the kitchen.

-Flash Three-

"My daughter... I'm looking for my daughter..." Edward heard his mother say frantically.

"Hold on, slow down, ma'am. You'll aggravate your condition." a soothing voice could be heard just out of Edward's sight.

"To hell with my so-called condition, where is my _DAUGHTER!"_ his mother exclaimed feverishly.

"What is her name, ma'am?" the doctor asked her.

"We call her Cory. Coraline Elizabeth Masen. _ PLEASE..._ you just _HAVE_ to... you _MUST_ find my daughter." his mother begged desperately.

-End Flashes-

"Edward... Edward... are you okay?" Esme asked worriedly, shaking his shoulder.

"Huh? Yeah... I think..." he said distractedly.

"Are you sure?" Carlisle asked.

"Edward, I feel pain. What's the matter?" Jasper asked gently, pouring soothing waves of calm throughout the room.

"Nothing, alright? It's _NOTHING!"_ Edward snapped angrily, jumping up from his chair and overturning the chess table.

"_EDWARD!"_ a few of them exclaimed.

"I just... I... I need to go." he said. Then, without another word, Edward ran off out the door.

The next morning, signs of life could gradually be seen in the Mad House as Coraline had dubbed it the night before. Tonks stretched out in her bed, giving her still-sleeping fiance a gentle kiss. Remus's lips quirked into a sleepy smile. The next room over, Coraline was neatly making her bed and getting ready to shower. Draco, two rooms over, was just blinking crusty eyelids open and swishing his tongue dealt? mouth. He _HATED_ morning breath. Luna, in the room between Cora's and Draco's, was dead to the world. She was sprawled out in her full-sized bed with her face half-buried in her pillows and her arm slung overtop an equally asleep Snorkel. Neville was out like a light. He was curled up on the very right edge of his bed, a hand clutched tightly to the Mimbulus Mimbletonia pot on his nightstand. It was only just after 7:00 but Tonks and Coraline didn't have to sleep half the normal amount and Draco, curse his internal alarm, was an early riser no matter how much his body was telling him he needed sleep.

"Good _MORNING!"_ Coraline exclaimed happily as she exited her room a half hour later. Tonks responded with a grin of her own, Draco nodded, and Remus yawned.

"Mornin." he said tiredly.

"Sooo, what're we gonna do today?" Coraline asked them.

"Hmmm, I think that we should wait for the others to wake up." Tonks told the younger girl.

"Oh pooh. You always ruin my fun, Nymphie." Cora pouted cutely.

"Do _NOT_ call me _NYMPHIE._ So like Sirius... I swear..." Tonks trailed off. The mention of Sirius still brought a twinge of sadness to Coraline but she could now talk about him without growing so upset. Sirius would want them to joke around like this.

"Yeah yeah, sorry. Anyway, shall we wake them up, then? I'm _SO_ _BORED."_

"It's not even eight o'clock yet, Cor. You mean to tell me you're bored _ALREADY?"_ Draco asked incredulously.

"Maaaaaybe... or maybe I just want an excuse to annoy our sleeping beauties." Coraline grinned impishly.

"Can I help? Perhaps if we start now we can have them up by 9:00." Draco grinned in return.

"Sure, Draco. But do you remember my rule?" Cora asked.

"Let _YOU_ wake Longbottom up. I know, I know, I've learned my lesson." Draco said sulkily.

"Good boy." Cora said mockingly, patting Draco's head of blond hair as she passed to Neville's door. Quietly, she opened it and tiptoed inside.

"Neville... Neville... wakey-wakey time, Neville. C'mon, Nev... time to get up... don't be so stubborn... _ NEVILLE_ _ALGIMANTAS_ _LONGBOTTOM!_ Get your _ARSE_ out that bed right _NOW!"_ Coraline hollered that last part. Neville jerked but otherwise did nothing. Coraline sighed. It was time for the big guns now.

"Hey, hey Nev, guess what? They're cancelling the Herbology Monthly magazine. You just got your last issue on Wednesday last." Coraline need not say any more. Neville was up like a shot, his brown eyes wide open in abject horror.

"_NOOOOO!"_ he cried. Coraline started cackling.

"Oh... bloody brilliant... totally fell for it... mwahahahaha..." she clutched her sides. After a minute, her giggles finally subsided.

"I'll get you for that, Cor, mark my words, I will." Neville said threateningly.

"I'll be waiting." Coraline rebutted, slipping out of her friend's room so that he could get dressed.

"Cora, I've got a problem." Draco said, hurrying down the hall to her.

"What is it, Coco?"

"I can't wake her up. I've asked her, shook her, _BEGGED_ her to get up but she _WON'T!_ It's as if she's _DEAD,_ Cor." he said desperately.

"Pathetic, Coco, pathetic. You're the _WORST_ waker-uper in _HISTORY,_ you know that?" Coraline asked him, shaking her head.

"C'mon, Cory, gimme a break, why don't you? Will you _AT_ _LEAST_ try to get her _UP?"_ Draco begged.

"Fine, but only for you, Draco. I guess it's time to bring out the big guns." Coraline sighed. Carefully, she crept into Luna's room. She was still in the same position she had been in practically all night. Grinning, Cora waved her wand, conjuring a bucket. It was _SO_ much more fun to do it this way. Silently, she filled the bucket of water and then hefted it high above the sleeping forms of the girl and her dog.

"_WAKEY-WAKEY,_ _Luuuuunaaaaa!"_ she exclaimed with a cackle, dumping the bucket of cold water on them.

Snorkel let out a shocked yip and Luna shot bolt-upright, her eyes open wide.

"_GHAAAAA!_ You are _SO_ dead, _CORALINE_ _ELIZABETH!_ I'll enlist an army of ninja monkeys and they shall _KILL_ _YOU!"_ Luna screeched, jumping out of bed. She really _WAS_ soaking wet.

"Haha! Catch me if you _CAN,_ Lulu!" Coraline exclaimed, grinning madly.

"I will, Cory, I _WILL."_ Luna exclaimed, chasing after the older girl with a disgruntled Snorkel right behind them.

Another half hour and several liberal uses of drying charms later, they all sat around the kitchen table, happily eating the quick breakfast that Coraline had made.

"So, what do we do today?" Coraline questioned.

"I don't know. Cora, Neville, d'you want to meet your relatives?" Tonks suggested. Both of them, especially Cora, looked uncertain.

"I dunno, Tonks. I... I'm not sure I'm ready just yet. I mean I _KNOW_ I'm excited to meet them and all but... well..." Cora trailed off nervously.

"You're afraid they won't like you?" Remus asked knowingly.

"Well... yes."

"What's not to like? You're a _WONDERFUL_ person and I'm proud to call you a friend." Tonks said.

"If their heads are infested with racksperts, than they really aren't worth knowing anyway, are they?" Luna asked wisely.

"Your parents would be proud of the woman you are, Cory-Cub, and I'm sure the Clearwaters will be, too." Remus said soothingly.

"I already _TOLD_ you this _YESTERDAY,_ Cora." Draco said. "I can't think of anyone better to know."

"Thanks... I think I'll be ready soon... just not today." Coraline said.

"Well, if we're not going to LaPush, then maybe we can get some of the necessities out of the way?" Remus asked.

"Like what?" everyone wanted to know.

"You know, like registering for school, getting Tonks and I jobs, that sort of thing." Remus elaborated.

"That works." Cora said. "I'm excited to go back to school."

"Nerd." Draco coughed behind his hand.

"Shut up, Draco." Coraline huffed.

"Well, at least we've all caught up with Muggle education and got our transcripts modified. Luna's going into the same grade as us, right?" Neville asked.

"Yeah. We managed to tweak it so that she's a year ahead in classes. We've got to keep our names and birthdays, you know, for legality's sake, but Luna's definitely in for junior year." Tonks said.

"Oh, good. I didn't want to be alone." Luna sighed in relief.

"You're never alone, Lu, never." Coraline grinned at her best female friend.

Fifteen minutes later, all six of them were in the Expedition again. Luckily, they had voice-controlled GPS in case they couldn't find the school. But Forks was such a small town that they wound up not needing it. The drive from their house just outside town to the school itself took three minutes, tops. Remus, the designated driver, parked the car in front.

"Do you all remember the story for why we're here?" he asked.

"Well yeah. It's not too far off from the truth, is it?" Draco asked.

"Just tell me you remember."

"You first, Moony. I _KNOW_ how Marauders work, they get other people to remind them of what they forgot so that they can actually act like they remembered." Coraline smirked.

"Fine, fine. My name is Remus John Lupin and I am 37 in May. My fiance and I recently received custody of four teenagers. Two of them are my fiance's cousins whose parents cannot take care of them. The other two are my godchildren whose guardians could no longer take care of them. I go to the hospital once a month to be treated for an auto-immune disease that I contracted as a child. Other than that, I am perfectly capable of working." Remus reeled off. "Happy?"

"Very." Cora nodded.

"Right then. My name's Nymphadora Cassiopeia Tonks but _NOBODY_ is to call me by my first name, just Tonks. I recently came into custody of my teenaged cousins while my fiance came into custody of his godchildren. I'm 25 and was an officer of the metro police in London." Tonks said.

"I'm Draco Orion Malfoy and I turn seventeen in June. My father is dead and my mother as good as. My cousin is Tonks and my other cousin Luna." Draco yawned.

"I am Luna Celestine Lovegood and I turned sixteen in November. Mum died when I was nine and Dad died over Christmas break. My cousin is Draco whose cousin is Tonks here." Luna stated.

"I'm Neville Longbottom... fine... Neville _ALGIMANTAS_ Longbottom and I will be seventeen in July. My parents became ill and couldn't care for me as a baby. My gran's health is failing and she asked my godfather to take me in." Neville spouted.

"And last but not least," Cora grinned, "my name's Coraline Elizabeth Potter. Neville's parents and mine were family friends and we have the same godfather. My parents died when I was a baby and my relatives no longer wish to care for me. That's why Remus took me in. Satisfied, Moony?"

"Yes, Cora, I am satisfied. Now lets go ahead and register you lot, right?" Remus grinned. The teenagers made general sounds of agreement. Piling out of the large SUV, they all hurried toward the front office building. The clouds were low and grey and it was cold and rainy out. Gratefully, they all entered the front door. Going down the very white hallway, they saw a door marked Principal's Office. They entered it to see a smallish outer office with chairs and plants scattered about and a secretary sitting behind a desk.

"May I help you, dears?" the older lady asked kindly.

A few hours later, they all left the school building. The secretary, Mrs. Cope, and the principal, Mr. Green, had both been curious about the strangers from the UK. However, they had been polite and swift about getting the four teens into the system.

"Let's get _OUT_ of here." Coraline grumbled, flopping into the car.

"Awe, are you still miffed, Cora?" Tonks grinned.

"You would be miffed too, Tonks, if _YOU_ were mistaken for a _FRESHMAN._ I mean what an _INSULT!"_ Coraline exclaimed indignantly. "It's so _EMBARRASSING!"_

"Don't worry, you'll grow. Your mother did, after all." Remus assured her.

"Yeah yeah. I need to blow off some steam. Tonks, you wanna hunt?" the older part-vampire simply nodded.

It was the middle of the day and Edward had just finished visiting with Bella. She was going to go somewhere with her dad, apparently.

"I think I'm going to go hunting." he said after awhile. His family all nodded. With all the drama that had just ended a few weeks ago, they hadn't had the time to do a lot of hunting. In the end, all of them decided to hunt as a family. It was their way of celebrating the family being together again. Leaping across the stream at the back of their property one by one, Edward and his family ran off into the woods.

He was just sniffing out the trail of an elk when he saw a flash of red hair. He was so shocked by it that he didn't even see the bright pink blur that passed a split second afterwards. He stopped right in his tracks.

"What's wrong, Edward?" Carlisle asked from several yards away as he finished draining an elk of his own.

"Did you see that? It looks like _Victoria_ is back." Edward said, a growl surfacing as he spat the name of the vampire whose mate had tried killing _HIS_ Bella.

"Ooh, you get back here! I am _SO_ gonna beat your arse!" came a laughing voice as the red blur and then the pink blur shot past them again.

"Doesn't that smell like Victoria, too?" Edward asked. "Not quite, son. their are similarities, true, but it's not the very same." Carlisle noted. The entire family was by his side now. It was true. The scent was similar but it was mixed. An odd, sour tang mingled with the sweet, vampiric scent like that of one of those LaPush mutts. Also, even the sweet scent that smelled like that of a vampire's was different. Edward still wasn't too sure, though. She might have found some way to mask her scent somehow.

"I say we follow her and her companion." he said at last.

"Why bother? Why should we care what Victoria does?" Rosalie sniffed. Edward growled and shot off like a rocket, not even deigning to give her a response. His family was soon behind him. It was odd, she wasn't running quite as fast as a vampire could run. After several minutes, Edward was able to get within a few lengths of her.

"Stop right there, _YOU!"_ he yelled. Both of the presumed vampires who were running stopped on a dime. One of them had pink hair which faded gradually to black. The other had long, dark red curls which, upon closer inspection, weren't Victoria's same flame red. Curiously, they both turned around. The one figure, a woman, was pale with hazel eyes and black hair. But Edward's eyes were not on her. They were locked onto the familiar eyes that he had hoped to forget from his human life. They were the exact same eyes, big, emerald, and sparkling, as his sister.

"How... you... you're alive... what... _ CORALINE?"_


	3. Chapter 3

AN:

Hi, everyone. I really hope you like this next chapter. In it, the Cora confusion is solved. Then, we learn a bit about Cory Masen through some of her old journals. I would have had Cora's grandmother and mother's journals put in, too, but the chapter was getting too long as is. Note, I'll be calling Edward's sister Cory most of the time and Coraline Potter Cora to cut down on confusion. Sometimes, though, Cora's friends do call her "Cory" and vice versa so keep that in mind. I think I've made it clear which Coraline I'm talking about when, though.

Anyway, I usually don't write my chapters longer than a certain amount of pages or words and this is, I think, longer than my norm. The next chapter will contain the stories of Coraline Potter's mother and grandmother. Any guesses as to who her grandmother is? If their are any gramatical errors, it is because "Coraline Masen" wrote it that way. I know better but I was trying to write it like a kid was writing some of those entries. Likewise, the spelling is proper in the entries because Coraline is quoting it, this isn't a direct look at the page, so to speek.

Moving on, Edward is a little bit ooc and emotional. But wouldn't you be if you were finding out what happened to someone you loved like a parent, child, or, in his case, little sister? Don't worry, Edward will be more or less back to normal by the next chapter. I hope you enjoy and review if you have the time. I won't beg, honest. Anyway, here's the next chapter

AN 2: Revized as of Nov. 27, 2011

Chapter Three: A Tale of Two Coras

"H-how? How d'you know my name? _ANSWER_ _ME!"_ Coraline ordered fiercely, slipping into a defensive stance. Tonks slipped into a similar stance right behind her. Cora didn't know who these vampires were, for all that she knew they could be hostile. The golden eyes meant nothing to her. That didn't lessen the chance that they were left-over lackies of Voldemort, not _ONE_ _BIT._

"Cory... baby sister..." Edward gasped out, his eyes wide open in shock. He didn't care that this girl carried a British accent in her lilting voice. He didn't care that he could not read the mind of this girl and her companion. He didn't care that this girl's curls were a deep, dark red and not the muted copper that his sister had. He didn't care that this girl had subtle differences in her appearance such as her longer nose, thinner frame, and odd lightning-bolt scar. No, all Edward saw were those big, green eyes, eyes which narrowed dangerously at him. She was older than he remembered her to be, around fourteen as opposed to the nine she had been when he had taken ill. He just _KNEW_ that she was like him, a vampire, but she was also different. Why was her sweet, vampiric smell twisted so intimately with the foul smell of the wolves of LaPush? It wasn't like it was clinging to her as though she had been around them. Okay, maybe it was but it was more than that. This was a part of her natural scent somehow. Her companion also seemed like him but less so, somehow, with the dark scent of rain, salt, and blood slightly noticeable as well as the sweet scent of humans slightly more-so. How did his baby sister keep those beautiful green eyes? Why did he hear heartbeats? It didn't matter to him as he just _KNEW_ that he had his little sister back.

"What are you _TALKING_ about? I don't have _ANY_ siblings. Just who the hell are you _VAMPIRES_ and what the hell do you want with us?" Coraline snarled. Edward straightened in shock. His baby sister _NEVER_ talked like that. What had made her so temperamental?

"Don't give me that, Coraline Elizabeth Masen. It's me, your brother, Edward. I don't know just _HOW_ you're alive after all this time or how you're like me or..." but he was cut off by the incredulous voice of the green-eyed miracle in front of him.

"Masen? Coraline Elizabeth _MASEN?_ How the _FUCK_ do you know the name of my great _GRANDMOTHER?_ Who the _HELL_ are you? What the _BLOODY_ _FUCK_ do you lot want with me?" she demanded. Edward's eyes shot open in absolute shock. Her great _GRANDDAUGHTER?_ His baby sister had _MARRIED?_ His baby sister had _CHILDREN?_ So this girl... how was she... he was _SO_ confused.

"I think we all need to step back a bit and re-introduce ourselves. This conversation is going nowhere. Miss, what is your name?" Carlisle asked curiously. Coraline looked at each vampire with a critical eye, Tonks did the same. The bronze-haired one, Edward if he was to be believed, still looked gobsmacked. The littlest one, a girl with black hair in a pixy cut, looked excited, she was bouncing from foot to foot. The muscled blond with the many bite scars, on the other hand, looked between wary and curious and shocked. Was he an empath of some sort? In any case, he had his armed wrapped protectively around the littlest vampire. The big, burly one with the dimples seemed curious about the two strangers. The statuesque blond next to him simply seemed bored as if this was just another day in the life. A motherly-looking caramel-haired vampire woman looked upon Cora and Tonks with some measure of concern. The oldest-looking vampire, not just in his appearance but in his eyes, looked simply inquisitive. Their wasn't a hostile glance in the bunch. That didn't mean, however, that they were going to let their guards down.

"I think it prudent that _YOU_ be the ones to introduce yourselves first as it was _YOU_ who flagged us down." Tonks warned, speaking for the first time.

"Very well." Carlisle nodded, looking curiously at the two tensed young women in front of them. "My name is Carlisle Cullen and this is my family. I guess you could call me the father of the family. May I ask just what are you? Your scents are nothing familiar. They are somewhat like us but have different qualities to them."

"We'll get to that later." Cora snapped.

"If that's what you want, dear. I am Esme, Carlisle's wife and I guess you could call me the mother of this family." the kind-looking vampire next to Carlisle said gently.

"Hiya! Name's Emmett and this is my beautiful Rose." the burly guy grinned widely, slinging his arm around the blonde woman.

"Rosalie Hale." she said simply, cooly.

"Jasper Hale at your service, ma'am." the vampire with the multiple bite scars said politely. His voice was vaguely Southern-American as if he had lived their a very long time ago.

"Hi there! My name is Alice and I can just _TELL_ that we're going to be the _BEST_ of friends!" the little black-haired vampire said happily.

"I... I... I was known as Edward Masen and I... I thought... but how?" the bronze-haired teen stammered.

"I don't know that I can trust you lot. I won't tell you _ANY_ information until I do." Coraline said stiffly.

"How can we show you that we can be trusted?" Carlisle asked.

"Stand still and look into my eyes when I prompt you to." Coraline said. She had always had a talent for the mind magics. She could pick up surface thoughts if she wasn't actively tuning them out. Also, she was an accomplished legilimens; she could even break through Severus Snape's shields now... if he was still alive, that is. She shook her head of those thoughts. Severus was dead and their was nothing she could do about that. Anyway, she was very gifted with mind magics but that had little to do with her vampire heritage. She had other abilities tied to that.

"Why?" asked the female blond cooly. "What good will it do? Allow you to look into our _SOULS_ or something?"

"Close." Coraline said cryptically. "Any volunteers?"

"Well... I do admit I am curious." Carlisle said, stepping forward. Coraline squared up with the taller man and gazed into his topaz eyes. Meanwhile, Carlisle held her emerald gaze steadily. It was as though she was stripping him down, judging him, reading his very soul. Eventually, she smiled at him and broke the gaze. She didn't delve much further than the surface, only to see whether or not he knew of magic or what was going on in England. Apparently, he knew of magic but didn't know much. He was a kind-hearted and compassionate man and she felt as though she could trust him, at least a little. The next person to volunteer was Esme. She found the peculiar girl's gaze just as intense as Carlisle did. After awhile, the connection was broken. Coraline's smile grew. This was a genuine sweetie, a very loving, nurturing soul. This woman didn't have a fake bone in her body... unlike that utter _COW,_ Marguerita "Molly" Weasley. Next was the burly bloke, Emmett. He really _WAS_ childlike in some ways, it wasn't an act. Emmett was always curious and loved meeting new people. He also loved the blond woman, Rosalie, with all that he had. Coraline grinned and nodded at him. Next up was Rosalie. She met Coraline's intense gaze with a cold stare of her own. As she looked into the peculiar emerald eyes of the strange girl, Rosalie didn't see a silly little girl or a petty person as she had half expected. She knew the human emotions and what most girls around this Coraline's age were like. She wanted to be jealous of this girl for obviously being human, or at least not a sterile creature of bloodlust like she was, but she couldn't bring herself to be. Rosalie could see pain, hurt, loss, and understanding in the emerald orbs. She also saw a fierceness that she hadn't ever seen in that silly Isabella. If their wasn't a possibility that she was related to Edward, Rosalie would say that this Cora girl would be a good match. After awhile, Coraline broke eye contact. She really felt for Rosalie. The girl was bitter for the things she couldn't have. She could never have a child, humanity, something resembling a normal life. However, she hadn't a traitorous thought in her head. After Rosalie was Jasper. He also proved to be trustworthy. He had fought in the civil war and also the Southern wars of the newborns. He had the hardest time with the animal diet. Coraline smiled at him, she thought she knew of something that could help. Second to last was Alice. She grinned at Coraline and met her gaze easily. Cora could tell that the hyper little vampire was also trustworthy. Their was a part of her mind that was blocked off as if by stone, though. She would have to look into that later. Was it her human life that she wanted to forget? Last was Edward. His mind was filled with anguish, fuzzy flashes of human memories flitting elusively through his head. He just wanted to know what had happened to his baby sister, no more. Coraline knew, of course, from her great-grandmother's journals that she had a big brother, Edward, but she thought he was dead of the influenza. While the young witch was thinking through all of this, Edward was mesmerised by her bright, emerald eyes. They were the exact same colour green as his sister's eyes but they were also different. Different emotions flitted through them, sorrow and understanding, wariness and curiosity. He was coming to grips with the fact that this girl was _NOT_ his baby sister. He still wanted to know what had become of her, though, and how this girl who bore her name had become so like he and his family.

"They're clear." she said eventually, looking at Tonks.

"That's good." the metamorphmagus grinned easily.

"What does that mean?" Carlisle asked.

"It means we will introduce ourselves. My name is Coraline Elizabeth Potter. My great-grandmother was Coraline Elizabeth Masen who my mother named me after. If I understand things right, Edward, you are my great-granduncle." Coraline smiled at the young-looking vampire whose eyes lit up.

"What was she like after I was changed? Did you ever even meet her? What happened to her? How are..." but Coraline cut the eager vampire off.

"This isn't exactly the best place for a pow-wow, now is it? No, not at all. Come back to our house and everything will be explained." Coraline said.

"Where do you live?" Carlisle asked.

"Oh, about three miles northwest of here. We're the log house on Pine Place, just outside Forks. Their's a greenhouse and a garage. You can't miss it." Coraline informed them. "We have to go inform our family, come over in about ten minutes or so."

"We will, dear." Esme nodded. The red-head smiled at her and she and Tonks ran off towards their house.

They tore through the kitchen door almost no time later. At the racket they made slamming the door, the other four members of the household rushed into the kitchen.

"What's the matter? Are you all right? What's happened?" Remus asked worriedly, rushing over to them and wrapping an arm around Tonks.

"Relax, Remy. We're fine." Tonks laughed. Coraline said nothing. She simply plopped faintly into a chair at the kitchen table, her eyes lost.

"What's wrong, Cory? Do I need to hurt someone?" Draco asked anxiously.

"I smell... I smell vampire on you but it's not your scent." Neville observed.

"That's 'cause it's not. We met a coven of seven animal-drinking vampires when we were hunting and... well... one of them's my great-granduncle. Apparently, Great-Grandma Cory's older brother isn't as dead as I thought he was. I... I've got to go get the journals... and the photo albums. They'll tell the story best. Once they've read the backstory, I can fill them in on mine."

"And their are no deceiving Dingleys?" Luna asked. That was Lovegoodese for "Are they trustworthy?"

"I checked them myself. Not a treacherous or malevolent thought in their pretty little heads." Coraline affirmed, standing up. "Now, if you'll excuse me, I've got to get the journals and albums." she left the room. A few minutes later, she entered into the living room and set the journals all three side-by-side on the coffee table in front of the large, black leather sectional which was in front of the big-screen, HDTV. Then, above each journal, she set three books of varying sizes. The rest of her family entered in behind her. Just as she was done arranging the journals and photo albums of her great-grandmother, grandmother, and mother, the doorbell rang. Running to the door, she threw it open to reveal all seven of the Cullens.

"Hello. Come right in. The living room is to the right, we can all go in their. Welcome to our home." Coraline said rapidly. She always talked fast when she was nervous.

"It's beautiful." Esme commented with a smile. It really was. All of them were quite impressed. Edward was almost as fidgety as Alice at that moment. He would _FINALLY_ get the answer to the question he had been wondering about for more than 88 years: What happened to his baby sister? Eagerly, Edward followed the girl into the living room with his family trailing behind him. Jasper was tense, he could smell the sweet tang of human blood although, in the case of the four he could smell it in, it was tainted by other odd smells. Five people sat on one side of the sectional. Coraline motioned for the Cullens to take the other half and she sat in the middle.

"Are you okay?" she asked Jasper who was sitting tensely on the edge of his seat.

"I... I do not have good control around humans. These people... your family... they are not all quite human... but I am uncertain." he said quietly.

"Oh, silly me. I don't want you lot being uncomfortable. Here, these should help." Coraline smiled knowingly and took seven lollies out of her pocket, tossing one to each of the cullens.

"We can't eat human food." Rosalie said, annoyed.

"They're not. They're called blood pops." Coraline grinned. "They are to help vampires with control. These are my particular favourites, lion-flavoured."

"You... you eat these?" Edward asked.

"Yes yes, but I'll get to that later. First, though, I'd like to introduce you to my odd little family here. To my right is Remus Lupin, moon-hating werewolf extraordinaire. Then, their's his fiance, the quarter-vampire and part dark elf, Nymphadora Tonks. The haughty blond bloke..."

"_OI!_ I am _NOT_ haughty..."

"Is Draco Malfoy, Tonk's cousin and a quarter veela and part dark elf. The elusive blonde next to him is his cousin on his father's side, Luna Lovegood, half wood elf and a quarter veela. Then, last but not least, the bloke that probably stinks to high heaven to you lot is Neville Longbottom, our snarly, shape-shifting wolf. Oh yeah, like I said, I'm Coraline Potter. You'll find out all what I am as we go along. Oh, and I didn't quite tell you, did I? We are, all six of us, witches and wizards." Cora said grandly.

"Um... are you _INSANE_ or something? Magic isn't real." Emmett said skeptically, Rosalie nodding along with him.

"She tells the truth. I know of magic but have had little contact with that world in several decades, ever since my home country started passing such restrictive laws on beings such as vampires. Is that why you are here? Because the laws were too restrictive?" Carlisle asked. Coraline could, come to think of it, pick out a slight British tone and pronunciation in Carlisle's words.

"Kind of." she hesitated.

"What she means is just as soon as she saves the British wizarding world's arses they turn on her because she's not human." Draco spat angrily.

"If we had stayed, we would have taken the path to oppression, outright enslavement, or execution." Luna said softly.

"After finding out Coraline was not human, they have even banned anybody with less than 100% human blood from attending Hogwarts, that's the magic school in Britain." Remus said indignantly.

"Yeah. And they've started calling our Cora the next dark lady, what a bunch of _RUBBISH!"_ Neville snarled angrily.

"Total _BULLOCKS!"_ Tonks added vehemently.

"I... see. But what about the rest of your families?" Carlisle asked.

"We'll get to that." Coraline said vaguely.

"What happened to my sister? When did she die? From what side of the family is she your great-grandmother?" Edward asked. He was still stuck on that and Cora couldn't blame him, really.

"I'm just about to get to that. You see, the three books in front of me are the journals of my great-grandmother, grandmother, and my mother. I took the contents of the several original journals and put them all into one magically expanded journal for each of them. I used the nicest of their old journal bindings so nothing of this is new. I just restored them. To be able to understand more about me, who and what I am, this backstory is important. Plus, Edward, I know you want to know all about your baby sister and her descendants. I'll read the most important journal entries in a sequential order. Also, I've got some old pictures that are in these albums here. I'll pass them around to show what each of them looked like at the time of whatever journal entry I'm reading. If you have questions, go ahead and ask. I don't mind being interrupted." Coraline told them.

"Okay... you can start." Edward said, now overtaken with a bit of nervousness. First, Cora picked up the leftmost photo album. She flipped it a few pages until she came to one that took up most of the page. A family of four stood in front of a two-story house. Their was a little girl, a teenaged boy, and two adults. The picture was black and white so it was hard to guess the colouring. The mother was tall and slender with her hair in a bun, a few wavy tendrils framing her kind, round face. The man's hair was short and tousled. His eyes, even through the black and white, danced merrily and his strong-jawed face was smiling proudly. The boy was leaner than his father but nearly as tall. His features were a little more soft with youth, making him resemble his mother just as much as his father. His hair and eyes seemed to be the same undeterminable shade as his mother's but his eye shape and hair texture was all from his father. Lastly, the little girl looked no older than eight or nine. She looked very much like her mother, down to the eyes. However, her hair, which was in two plaits, seemed closer to the shade of her father's and she had his nose. She passed it first to the left so her family could see. Then, she passed it to Edward who stared at it sadly until it was taken out of his limp hands by Carlisle.

"That was our... our last family portrait." he said at the questioning gazes from his family.

"Yeah. It was, wasn't it? Okay, now I'll read." Cora cleared her throat and picked up the leftmost book. It was bound in old, dark brown leather with the name Coraline Elizabeth Masen written on it in elegant, flowing silver script. Gently, the young red-head opened her great-grandmother's journal and flipped through to the first entry that she felt important.

"Monday, October 28, 1918

Dear Diary:

I can't believe its already time for Halloween again. My big brother, Eddie - well his real name's Edward - is supposed to take me trick-or-treating this year like he did last year. But I don't no if Mama and Daddy will let us go. People are getting real sick and they tell us on the radio that we should stay inside and away from others. I sure hope that we can still have fun, though."

"I remember that vaguely. The influenza was spreading quicker than anyone expected." Edward said darkly. Coraline nodded, flipping a few pages forward.

"Thursday, October 31, 1918

Dear Diary:

Mama and Daddy and Eddie are all acting kinda sluggish and I am scared. They say that they're fine and not to worry and all but I got a bad feeling in my tummy. Then again, I don't know that the bad feeling in my tummy is 'cause they might be sick. I don't feel real good myself but I won't tell Mama or Daddy or Edward 'cause I don't want them worrying. Tuney Timmons has been out of school all week. I hope she gets better soon. I'll miss playing with her. I gotta go to school but I'll write you later, swear."

"That was a few days before we were admitted into the church which they had turned into an emergency hospital area for those of us who were sick. My mother and I were separated from Cory when we were transported to the hospital and she was not. She wasn't sick enough to have to go with us and they were sending my father to the morgue." Edward noted quietly.

"Oh," Cora said, "Well that ties in with the next entry here."

"Saturday, November 16, 1918

Dear Diary:

They're dead, all of them dead. I can't believe it, Mama and Daddy and Eddie (teardrop) are (teardrop) are dead. We all were pretty sick by Saturday two weeks ago and the hospitals were full up so we got to go to a church that they were using. Daddy was the worst. It was awful, seeing his skin so clammed but his cheeks so flushed with the fever. Mama was better but not by much. Eddie, oh, my big brother Edward was so worried. He'd go to the altar and pray and pray and play the piano and then he'd pray some more for Mama and Daddy and me. I slept lots and rolled around and dreamed scary things. I don't know proper when I was awake or asleep. When I was more me I looked around for Mama and Daddy and Edward but I couldn't see them. I cried and screamed and hollered and carried on but the doctors just said I was gonna make me more sicker. I didn't care, though. I wanted my mama to hug me and say it'd be all right. I wanted Daddy their to muss up my curls, smile at me, and crack a joke. I wanted Eddie their to sing to me and chase this nightmare away. But they weren't.

I didn't find out for another two or three days what happened. They said Daddy was (teardrop) dead and he didn't need transferring to the hospital with Mama and Eddie 'cause he was already gone. They took Mama and Edward to the hospital when I was still real sick. For all I was sick they were lots worser and couldn't be helped more at the church. They told me that both Mama (teardrop) and Eddie (teardrop) were gone two days ago, at the same time. But they didn't know what happened to my brother's body and that's what made me the most maddest of all. They couldn't take care of my big brother right and now he couldn't rest in peace.

I didn't feel much like praying or anything as I got better. I'm mad at God for taking them away from me. I got released last Tuesday and I gotta live with my grandaunt Patrice. She's real strict and old-fashioned and just stifling. She never had a child and only cares about her cats. I hate cats but she's the only family I got left. God, I know I'm still mad at you but I do hope for one thing. Make sure that Mama and Daddy and Eddie are all angels and tell them (teardrop) that I love them, please?"

Edward was shaking as Cora red that passage aloud. Cora also blinked a few rogue tears from her eyes. She flipped another page or two and passed the album around. It was Cory Masen's school picture, taken the spring after her parents had died along with, presumably, her brother. She would have just turned nine. She wore a tight, scratchy-looking, ankle-length dress with puffed sleeves and a lace collar. Her boots also looked uncomfortable and old-fashioned, even for that time period. Her hair was wound up into a tight, braided bun atop her head. She looked much thinner than she had in the family portrait. She was scowling and her eyes were averted away from the camera. The picture was a tragic one of a girl who had suffered heartbreak and hardship long before she ever should have. The entire Masen family saga was tragic. Her great-granduncle, her great-grandmother, her grandmother, her mother, hell. Even _SHE_ was tragic.

"She looks so miserable... Grandaunt Patrice of all people... she'd have been better off in an _ORPHANAGE._ I... if I'd have known..." Edward choked out roughly.

"You couldn't have done anything anyway, son. You were a newborn and human memories just aren't that important when you're in that sort of state." Carlisle said gently, laying a hand on his son's shoulder. Jasper was stiff from the influx of pain that he was feeling from Edward and his presumed great-grandniece. He didn't know why she was feeling so pained, though. She probably had never met her namesake. Then again, she _WAS_ rather vague about her family. Also, even he couldn't help but feel sorry for the miserable little waif in the picture.

"He's right, Edward. It depends on how tightly you cling to your memories during the transformation. Anyway, I'll continue now. Cory Masen is fourteen in this entry." Cora explained. Then, she flipped a few pages in the album and passed it around. This was another school picture. Cory Masen had grown a lot and was looking more and more like her mother. Her hair was in a simple braid and she wore another uncomfortable-looking dress. This time, it had laces up the front, too. Cory looked more angry and defiant than sad and resigned in this photo. Her hands were balled into fists, planted on her hips, and she glared angrily at the camera. Once she got the album back, she closed it and set it back on the table, picking up the journal instead.

"Monday, October 3, 1924

Dear Diary:

TODAY was one of the worst and most embarrassing days of my _LIFE._ My grandaunt Patrice is _SO_ old-fashioned. Ladies are meant to do this, she says, and ladies are meant to do that. Well I don't really care _WHAT_ she says. So I told you how I auditioned for Romeo and Juliet last week? And I got to be Juliet? Well Patrice would have _NEVER_ let me do that so I lied to her and forged her signature on the permission forms. I say to her, "Aunt Patrice, I'm gonna get tutored on my history because I'm horrid at it. Is it all right?" and you know what she says? "Is that tutoring with some boy?" and I say "No, of course not. Sarah Paulson's tutoring me." and she just frowns disapproving at me. "I'll let you go but you _WILL_ be back by five, no exceptions. Do you here?" she pins a glare on me. I just nod and leave the room real quick.

Well it was all going real fine, until today that is. I was losing track of time and we were doing the scene where Juliet kisses Romeo 'cause he's dead. Well Romeo was being played by Davie Parker, he's really handsome, too. Just as I'm kissing him, guess what happens? My grandaunt Patrice comes barging through the doors of the auditorium. And she goes off, yelling at me about lying and floozing around with some diseased boy and disobeying her and all this other nonsensical rambling. Then, she yanks me off of Davie and marches me out the auditorium by my ear. My face was so red I think it was gonna catch fire.

She yelled at me all the way home where I'm shoved into my room so she can go and drink her bottles of cheep whine in peace. She says if I'm gonna be dishonest to her about school, she'll keep me where she can see me from now on. I think she means it, too. If their's one thing I hate most about my grandaunt Patrice it's that she always means the nasty things she's saying. She'll probably send me to working at some factory or restaurant or something so she can keep getting more money for her obsessions: cats and whine. I already got a weekend job to bring in more of the money. Mama and Daddy left me a good chunk of money but she's already got her paws on it. Yeah, she spent all my inheritance before I turned twelve on her cats and cheep, red whine. How will I ever go to college to study theatre now? That's my dream. But if Grandaunt Patrice has it her way, I'll be buying her more catnip and cheep, red whine for the rest of her miserable old life. So I'll run away. As soon as I've squirreled away enough money, I'll be out of here. I'll take everything I can fit into a rucksack and leave by the dead of night. She'll never see me again and she can buy her own damn whine."

"She sounds... she sounds so miserable." Edward said solemnly. He was still shaking somewhat. "I remember Patrice vaguely... she was my mother's aunt and never treated her well. She couldn't raise a dog, let alone her own children. And she was a lush, to boot." he was scowling now, his pale hands clenched into angry fists for the injustices his sister had faced.

"She did get away. If I cover each entry for the next sixteen years than this will take all night. I'll just summarise, is that all right?" Coraline asked.

"Sure, go ahead." Edward bit out.

"Well she was pulled out of school after that by Patrice. She wanted to go to college to learn about literature and acting but she couldn't do that without a high-school diploma. Patrice made her get a job doing clerical work at the Ford Motor Company plant right their in Chicago. She stayed at it for about a year and a half. By her sixteenth birthday, she had enough money to buy a cross-country train ticket and rent a room for a few months. So that's what she did. The night after her birthday, she left to the train station. A few days later, she was in Washington, DC. She took a secretarial position at the capitol building and worked their for several years. She had a few on again, off again relationships during that time. After awhile, she grew bored of DC and took the train to New York. She loved the atmosphere of it, the way it never seemed to sleep. She had a few more relationships then, one was pretty serious. But he got caught in a shoot-out and died. That really upset her. Along with working another secretarial job, she did some amateur and semi-professional acting on the side under the name Elizabeth Walsh. She met my great-grandfather in mid-winter of 1940, January to be exact, after one of her plays. She was lovestruck from the first time she saw him." Coraline explained, grabbing the album and flipping through to a picture of a much older Coraline Masen. Her curls looked more wild than usual, she wore a dirty, black straw hat, and a shoddy black coat. Her hands were dirty and her nose was smudged. "Why does she look like this?" Edward asked, bothered at the state his sister was in.

"She was Liza Doolittle in Pygmalion." Coraline explained to him.

"Wasn't she a little old by then?" Jasper spoke up.

"I say amateur for a reason. She was the youngest female that could be said to resemble Liza." Coraline answered. "I'll read a journal entry from the day after that play for that was when she met my great-grandfather." Coraline set the album back down and took up the journal again.

"Sunday, January 7, 1940

Journal:

I think I've fallen in love. He's so handsome and kind and... (ink splotch) no, it wouldn't be proper for me to think quite _THAT_ way. I met him only last night. I don't know I've quite felt this way after (teardrop) after I first met Nicholas Brown. But I really do think that I like him.

It was just after our merry band of rag-tag actor wannabes had finished a small-scale production of George Bernard Shaw's Pygmalion, which we'd toyed around with and altered for New York, that I saw him. He was sitting in the audience and smiling at me with this white-tooth smile. That man could be a movie star for the way he smiles. Anyway, as I'm coming out of the dressing room in my ordinary clothes and my hair all thrown back messy he comes and says "hi" to me. I could hardly believe that some hi-brow man like him would come to an amateur play like this, let alone come up and talk to me. I'm nothing special. I'm solidly working class and have to put a lot more hours in than I'd like to so I can pay for my studio apartment in Harlem. It's the only part of the city I can really afford. I don't mind, though. Harlem's got character to it. I love the music and the art and the - well - I think it's just the soul of the place that draws me in. I remember shaking my head dazedly and looking closer at him. He was very pale, like fresh-fallen snow pale and his hair was a light auburn. His eyes were brown, too, and were probably the least attractive thing about him because they looked like dirt or dried blood.

It'd been five years that Nick had been dead but I'm still upset over it. But look at me, I'm pushing thirty and I still don't have a husband and children, not even a beau. Why, my mother was thirty-six when she - well - I'm not going to think about that. No, not one bit. Anyway, he asked me was I okay or not and I shook my head and said yes, I was. He said his name was Joshua Rafe. I liked the sound of that name. It wasn't high-brow or ostentatious at all. It was mysterious and roguish and charming and - well - I found I liked it, a lot.

He spoke as cultured as he looked with a slight Southern twang. I don't know why but I always have had a thing for accents. Then again, to me, any accent is one other than the Illinois variety I had heard for the first sixteen years of my life. I apologised for spacing out so much and introduced myself as Liz Walsh since, well, that's my stage name. He asked if I was an Illinois girl and I said yes, Chicago. I asked him where he came from, too. He said he was born in Colombia, South Carolina. He said he had to go after that but before he did, he asked me out on a date. I decided to say yes. He'll be picking me up at 7:30 to catch something at the pictures and it's 5:00 now. I think this is the start of something beautiful. I just hope it lasts."

Their was uproar on the Cullen side of the sectional as Coraline lowered the journal to look at everyone.

"How could..."

"What the hell..."

"Is he?" Edward asked through gritted teeth. "Is he one of _US?"_

"Erm... yeah." Coraline answered uncomfortably.

"I'll _KILL_ that human-drinking son of a bitch for _EVER_ taking liberties with my baby sister. It was _HE_ who killed her, _WASN'T_ _IT?"_ Edward exploded.

"Hypocritical much, Eddie-boy? After all, you _ARE_ taking liberties with a human girl yourself, aren't you?" Rosalie asked smugly.

"You _WHAT?"_ Coraline screeched, rounding on Edward. "We _WILL_ talk later, do you _HERE_ _ME?_ Family or not, if you're another bastard like Joshua Rafe I will be _PERFECTLY_ _HAPPY_ to _KILL_ _YOU!"_

"But I..." Edward started.

"Please continue, Coraline." Carlisle said, cutting off Edward's protests.

"Fine. Anyway, the vampire, Joshua Rafe, continued wooing my great-grandmother throughout the year. They eloped in late August. Cory Masen fell pregnant in September, and..." Carlisle cut across Coraline to put his two knuts in again.

"What? Pregnant? So you're saying that..."

"Yes, that's exactly what I'm saying. Vampire women can not get pregnant. However, vampire men can father children. The process, as you will see here, is very dangerous. This is her last journal entry. I'll be blunt, this is a week before your sister died, Edward." Coraline said. First, she passed around the album which was opened to a page with Cory Masen and Joshua Rafe standing together on a beach. Once they had seen that, she flipped to the last page of the journal.

"Thursday, September 19, 1940

Dearest Diary:

I fear this will be the last day that I ink my thoughts into your well-loved pages. I will not last the week, I can feel it in my very being. If I had known that bearing Joshua Rafe's child would be so painful, I would have left him hanging that night at Pygmalion. I don't know what kind of thing he is - a devil with an angel's body, I should think - but he certainly is not human. He dropped the pretense of having brown eyes long ago, said it was a birth defect why his eyes are red. But he has been cold, like I am a subject. I don't know why, but it is as if this man is not him, just an evil replica. But I know it is him. The same cold smile, the same auburn hair, the same glacial skin. And I have his child growing within.

If their is still a chance that my brother is alive, I beg him, come and save me. This isn't just a nightmare anymore, Eddie, but this is real. You always saved me, though. You'd be 39, now. A full-grown man like Daddy was. I can't help but wonder if you are alive somewhere since they never found your body. Are you an ordinary man with an ordinary life? Or are you something greater? I still can't get the image of you out of my mind as some sort of avenging angel who will still protect me. I hope that this child is like Mother or Father or you. Not like me, no, me who was foolish and stupid. Not like its father, either, who is cold and cruel. This thing which is planted within my womb might be slowly killing me from the inside out but it is still my angel. If it kills me, I can join Mama and Daddy and Nicholas and you, Edward. I will be with all of you where i can feel loved again. I will be an angel soon and look down on my child and hope that it grows up to have a better life than I, its wretched mother."

"You are _NOT_ wretched! You will _NOT_ die! Don't you _DARE_ die!" Edward shouted emotionally, his chest heaving with dry sobs.

"I'm sorry..." Coraline said awkwardly, putting the journal down on the coffee table and turning towards Edward. "I know this is hard..."

"You know, _DO_ _YOU?_ You _KNOW_ how _HARD_ it is? You _KNOW_ how _HARD_ it is to learn that someone you love was practically _MURDERED?_ You _KNOW_ how _HARD_ it is to realise that you could have _DONE_ something? You don't know a _DAMN_ _THING_ you... you... you _WRETCHED_ _ABOMINATION!_ _FREAK_ _OF_ _NATURE!_ This is all _YOUR_ _FAULT!_ Your _PRECIOUS_ _GRANDMOTHER_ was the one who _KILLED_ my _BABY_ _SISTER_ just by being _BORN!_ I'll _KILL_ _HER!_ I will _KILL_ your _BASTARD_ _GREAT-GRANDFATHER!_ I will _KILL_ your _WENCH_ of a _GRANDMOTHER!_ And I will _KILL_ your _BITCH_ of a _MOTHER!_ And then..." but his mad shouting was cut off. Coraline jumped up, her green eyes blazing like deadly infernos. Bright blue flames danced around the fingers of her left hand whilst bright white beams of crackling electricity sparked between the fingers of her right. The lights in the chandelier above them started to flicker and the windows began rattling.

"They're already _DEAD,_ you _IGNORANT_ _BASTARD!_ They're already _DEAD!_ As far as I know, my so-called _WENCH_ of a _GRANDMOTHER_ died giving birth to my, as you so _KINDLY_ put it, _BITCH_ of a _MOTHER!_ And my _MOTHER_ was _MURDERED_ when I was an _INFANT_ along with my _FATHER_ because some _PSYCHOPATHIC_ _MEGALOMANIAC_ wanted to kill us _ALL!_ Are you happy now, Edward? _ARE_ _YOU_ _Happy?_ Sometimes, I wish I were dead _ANYWAY_ so _PLEASE!_ Be my _FUCKING_ _GUEST!"_ Coraline shrieked furiously, trembling violently, her face flushing spectacularly. Then, before anyone could say a word, she ran off out the sliding glass door into the woods. Not two seconds afterward, they could all see a large, dark red wolf loping rapidly away.

"I messed up, didn't I?" Edward asked roughly, sinking back into the cushions. He looked at his family only to see angry glares. He then looked to Coraline's friends. The shapeshifter, Neville, was shaking violently, a furious expression on his face. Luna's silvery eyes were blazing with a cold, icy fury. Remus looked like he wanted to rip Edward limb from limb. Tonks had flaming red hair and eyes and her fists were clenched tightly. Draco, Edward gulped, was the scariest of them all. His eyes were cold, like two chips of ice, but also angry and blazing silver fire at the same time. His cheeks were tinged an angry pink and his expression was murderous. Then, he spoke in such a cold, furious way that Edward couldn't help but believe him.

"You're _DEAD,_ Masen."


	4. Chapter 4

AN:

Hey, everybody! I am SO sorry for making you wait so long for this chapter. I have worked really hard on it so I hope you all like. It is just a little shorter than the very first chapter because of an idea that I incorperated in the end. I would have written more but I want feedback before I keep going as this idea is, or at least has the potential to be, a major plot point. So I am REALLY depending on your reviews, people. I DO accept anonymous reviews, so you know. If you are not comfortable sending a review, feel free to private message me. Once I have enough reviews or messages with feedback, a full version of this chapter will be posted. Oh, and for all you American readers out there, just like me, I wish you a happy belated thanksgiving. There's a lot to be thankful for, waning gas prices included. (At least I THINK they're waning, I can't drive.) Haha. And thanks to all of my wonderful reviewers out there, every review makes my day. I especially thank Rabbitongrass, my new favorite anonymous reviewer. Without their review this morning, I'd have never finished what I have. So thank you. Oh, and I have made a few little tweeks to chapters 1-3 so you might want to look back at them. Also, for those who assume only blacks lived in Harlem during the thirties and fourties, you're wrong. Whites DID live there, there just weren't that many. I checked my facts only after I published the chapter, though. (Grins sheepishly.) Now, without any further ramblings, I present Chapter Four.

Chapter Four: Vini Viti Vicky: The Masen Saga Continued (Part I)

"I didn't mean too... I swear... it was just..." Edward said, his anger leaving him rapidly. Now, all he had was a hollow ache in his dead heart. He had just hurt the last member of his family with his anger and cutting words. He had never expected this. He had thought that Cory had died that horrible autumn in 1918, but she hadn't. She had lived. But, he thought morbidly, would it have been better for her to die? Die so she would not have to endure such horrible pain? And then, to die in such a dreadful way... it astounded him. She would have only turned thirty on May 1 of that year. She was too young, far too young.

"I don't _CARE_ whether you _MEANT_ to say that or not." Draco snarled, violently snapping Edward out of his revery. "What matters is that you _DID."_

"Our Cora's been through shit you could _NEVER_ imagine. She grew up in a loveless household without any idea as to who or what she was. She has lived through things that would make the toughest Marine cringe." Tonks snapped, red eyes blazing.

"All she ever wanted was a family. Someone to love her. She wanted to tell you this, put all this trust in you, so that maybe she could finally have that with you, Edward." Luna said, her voice deceptively serene.

"Despite all she has endured, you will _NEVER_ meet a more pure soul than Cora. She loves with all that she has. She is outspoken and passionate. She does not trust or open up easily but, when she does, she gives it her all. She often does not hand out second chances and absolutely _NEVER_ hands out thirds. I am proud to say that she is like a daughter to me and I feel privileged to know her and hold her trust." Remus said, his amber eyes clearly displaying his feelings for the teen.

"She deserves better family than _BASTARDS_ like _YOU._ Now, if you'll excuse me, I'm going to check and see that she's all right." Neville snarled, jumping up and rushing out after his pseudo-sister. Edward didn't have any desire to look towards his family, he could already feel their venomous glares boring into him like painful drill bits. The room was filled with a heavy silence before Carlisle spoke.

"Son, I understand that you are upset. She was your sister and it is a tragedy how she died. However, you had no right to tear strips off an innocent teenage girl for her great-grandfather's folly and the uncontrolled strength of her infant grandmother. I don't think I have ever been more disappointed in you in my life. Not when you abandoned our diet for thirteen years, not when you attempted to kill me for turning you, not in any instance before this. I hope you realise what damage you have done. Now, if I were you, I would feel lucky if she ever speaks to you again." his voice was calm and even but Edward could still hear the steel edge to it, that slight shift in Carlisle's pronunciation which showed him to be feeling a very strong emotion. In this case, it was a deep and palpable disappointment. If Edward could have, he would have burst into tears. Though he had lived for more than a century, he had been stuck as a teenager for almost eighty-nine years of that. Thus, although his mental capacity had been significantly expanded, his brain still resembled that of a teenaged boy. It especially came out in these instances. Teenagers, at least human ones, are very closely connected to the emotional centres of their brains. In contrast, their connections with their pre-frontal cortexes, that is to say, the part of the brain which controls logical and rational thought, are not fully formed yet. Basically, their are the wires, called neurons, but not the coating, called Myalin. Vampires who are changed as adolescents or young adults might act as adults do most of the time but they are still, essentially, teenagers and can lapse back into that mindset in instances of high emotional stress. Biologically, Edward was the youngest of them all at only seventeen. Alice was probably around the same age, perhaps a year or two older, Jasper was twenty, and Rosalie and Emmett were nineteen. As Edward could not let loose any tears, he simply allowed a dry sob to wrench free from his constricted throat.

Meanwhile, Coraline ran at her fastest speed through the forest. She had to get out of there, to get away from that... that _MAN,_ if he could be called that. Her rational mind told her that he probably didn't mean to say that, he was hurt, his little sister had died so young.

"Screw rational thought," she thought to herself. "He doesn't want me for family... I'll just leave... move away." at this moment, her emotions ruled over all. She felt hurt, like a reject, unwanted. Sure, this whole great-granduncle thing was new to her but she would grasp at any family she could get. She had already grown used to the idea of having him around.

"But he doesn't want you," that nasty little voice in the back of her head chanted like a mantra. "Who would want you? Someone so useless? Such a freak of nature? An abomination?" that was what he had called her. And she couldn't help but think, if only sometimes, that she was.

That little voice had been cultivated from a very young age, conditioned by more than a decade of neglect and abuse, both emotional and physical. The words that her relatives had spat at her over the years hurt a hundred times worse than the beatings. They were supposed to love her, to cherish her, to support her, but they didn't. And it looked like this Edward character was just the same. And surely the Clearwaters wouldn't be any different. Hell, if she showed up on their doorstep, Coraline bet they'd want to burn her on the spot. She let out a mournful howl that reverberated eerily through the dark, lush forest.

A half mile away, Jacob Black patrolled the border of the Quilayute reservation, making sure that nothing and no one undesirable passed by him. He pulled up short when a howl echoed through the dense foliage of the forest. It was long and sorrowful, making his russet fur stand on end. He consciously searched his mind link to see what was wrong with Quil who was on patrol with him. But Quil had not been the one to howl. He was just as curious as Jacob was.

"You're closer. Check it out, will you?" Quill sent.

"Fine then. It sounds like one of us but I can't sense a link to the wolf." Jacob mused. Taking a deep lungful of the crisp January air, Jacob launched into the tree line, searching for the wolf.

A few yards behind Coraline, Neville ran as fast as he possibly could, trying to catch up with the upset hybrid. Luckily, she had slowed down and eventually stopped. As they had phased in close proximity to each other, the two shared a link similar to that of the wolves of LaPush. However, due to training in occlumency, they were able to limit it to surface thoughts.

"Ignore him, Cor," Neville sent. "He's nothing."

"But he's _NOT_ nothing, Nev, he's family. He's family and... and he d-doesn't w-want me. What's wrong with me? Am I really that odious? Was he right? Were the Dursleys? Am I really just a..." but Neville cut her off, bearing his sharp, canine teeth at her.

"Never," he mentally snarled, "ever ever _EVER_ let me here you degrade yourself like that again. You're ten times the woman your aunt ever was and hold more love in your little finger than the Dursleys hold in their entire, ugly bodies. He should have _NEVER_ said that, Cora, don't get me wrong, but imagine how he's feeling? He's been wanting to know what happened to his little sister for almost a century. He never found out whether or not she died, if she married, if she had children. As old as he is, he's still about your age emotionally, at least in times like these. I'm not excusing what he said but I think you should give him another chance."

"But Neville..." Coraline trailed off, thinking back to Edward's earlier behaviour. He had seemed so happy to meet her, so incredibly happy. He was finally finding family and would, at long last, know what happened to his sister. She couldn't blame him, not really. Coraline slumped in defeat. She'd give him one more chance. It didn't mean that things were going to be okay right away, she and Edward needed to have a heart-to-heart and really get to know one another. But Coraline was willing to try.

"All right, then." she agreed, shaking her head.

"That's great, Cora. Now come on, everyone's worried about you." Neville mentally sighed in relief. Giving the wolfish equivalent of a sheepish grin, Cora turned to face the house and sped off, Neville right behind her.

By the time Jacob had reached the spot where the howl had originated, he was too late. He was just able to see two large wolves running off, one an earthy brown and the other a rich, dark red with a black-tipped tail. Before he could look closer at them, they disappeared from his sight. Jacob did not immediately go after them, it would be best to talk to Sam first. He would know what to do. How were their more wolves in Forks without them knowing? Why were they not connected to the pack's mind link? These questions swam around wildly in his head. Every so often, the image of the red wolf would pop up in his mind's eye. Jacob Black was intrigued.

Coraline was the first to make it back to the house. Maybe it was her vampire heritage, maybe she had inherited it from her Clearwater ancestors, but Cora was very fast in her wolf form. Faster than Neville, at any rate. Sighing, she shifted back into her human form. Luckily, they had put runes on their clothes, wands, wand holsters, etc so that they would vanish, similar to when animagi transform, and not be destroyed like they had been at first.

"Ready?" Neville asked her tentatively.

"I guess. Come on, before I change my mind." she said, walking up to the house with Neville beside her. As she entered, her family shot her concerned looks. She responded with a half-sheepish, half-wary smile at everyone. With a sigh, Coraline thwumped back into her place between Edward and Remus. Nervously, Edward turned his head towards her, opened his mouth, and spoke.

"Cory... or Cora... I just wanted to say... well... I was wrong. I was hurt and emotional and... um... yes... I said a lot of horrible things... can we start over?" he stammered. Coraline got the impression that he was not often flustered like this and he was being sincere.

"Okay." she nodded in ascent. "One more chance. I won't lie, Edward, you really hurt my feelings back there and dredged up a lot of painful memories. But I can't say I'd react any differently. When I learned my parents had been betrayed before they died, I vowed to kill the traitor and the murderer both. But that's for later. Do you still want to continue reading the diaries?"

"Yes, I think I would like that." Edward smiled.

"Okay then, Coraline shrugged, picking up the middle album. "My grandmother, Victoria Elizabeth Rafe, was born on the 27th of September, #1940. Cory Masen died a few minutes later. This first picture is of my grandmother, aged one year." she passed the opened album around. The colour photo showed an inhumanly beautiful little girl with wavy, bright red hair and deep, emerald eyes. She looked very much like her mother except she had inherited her father's thin lips, ears, and hair texture. Her hair was also much more red than her mother's, more like her father's. This was just barely noticeable as she was still young. However, she looked more like three than one. She sat on an iron bedstead, idly dangling her legs. She wore a plain, grey dress, white socks, and grey shoes. The cullens, upon seeing the photo, glanced at each other, shocked.

"What?" Coraline said, perhaps a little more snippily than she ought to have.

"Could she be?" Edward asked, nonplussed.

"I don't know, son, she's too young to tell." Carlisle responded.

"Could she be _WHO?"_ Coraline questioned, intrigued.

"That's part of our story." Rosalie grinned at the red-head, pretty much repeating her earlier words.

"Fair enough." Remus nodded, Cora simply grumbled.

"She looks much too old to be one, dear. Are you sure you have the right picture?" the matronly Esme asked.

"Yeah, I'm sure. I guess I'd better give you some information on the back-story of half-vampires like Grandmum there. Half-vampires, as you saw, have an increased gestation rate and are born after only about a month. Then, for the next six years, they grow roughly three years for every year they are alive. Since Grandma Victoria is one in that picture, she looks three. Her emotional and mental capacities are about thrice the age of that, if I were to take a guess. Anyway, at the age of about eighteen physically, 36 mentally, and 24 emotionally, half-vampires stop aging altogether. They can eat both human food and blood, can have children, and can die a wee bit more easily than actual vampires by illness, injury, and the like." Coraline explained, taking the album and setting it on the table. In its place, she now held the middle diary. It was black with gold script embossed onto it: Victoria Elizabeth Rafe-Evans.

"Rafe-Evans?" Edward asked.

"Yes, Rafe-Evans. She did marry, but we'll get to that later. I'm going to read a journal entry from her first birthday, ca 1941."

"Monday, September 27, 1941

Journal:

I wanted to call you diary but Father said it was too childish. Anyway, he gave you to me so I can write in you. He says he wants me to write how I feel and stuff for a-nah-lysis, whatever that is. I got to (crossed out) I mean have to write in you every day or else I'll be in big trouble. Oh, and he says I need to talk about myself on this page so I guess I'll do that now.

My name's Victoria Elizabeth Rafe and I was born on the 27th of September, 1940. I know that sounds wrong but it's true, honest it is. Father says that I'm special, superior to all humans. I know that he's talking about my mother when he says this but I still have nightmares of the night I was born. I can remember the light dimming from her eyes, eyes just like mine. I remember her whispering, "Victory... my Victory... Victoria Elizabeth..." before she went. I don't see how it is she was worse or less than me just because she was human. But Father says she was and so I've got to agree with him. He says I'm special, the start of a greater race. He calls himself a scientist and I am his first. I have to leave you here now, journal, Father beckons and I must hunt with him if I want to fill my stomach tonight."

As Coraline finished, all who heard it held disgusted looks on their faces. Joshua Rafe had a clear superiority complex. He was no better than Dumbledore or Voldemort and their minions who thought themselves superior.

"How... how _DARE_ he treat her like that?" Edward growled. "Is it... is it as bad as it sounds?"

"Worse." Coraline said solemnly, grabbing the album and flipping forward a couple pages.

"Bastard." Edward snarled furiously. Coraline said nothing, she just passed him the album.

"This is a picture of her around age four, or rather twelve physically, twenty-four intellectually, and eighteen emotionally. It's not pretty." she said bluntly, and it wasn't. Victoria Rafe, seemingly age twelve, was as beautiful as ever but it was a terrible sort of beauty. Her features were still nearly perfect, her hair and eyes hadn't changed, not really, but she had the look of something incredibly frail and fragile, like she would break at any moment. She was noticeably thinner than she had been as a seeming three-year-old, and it wasn't because she had grown out of most of her baby fat, either. She had the look of someone who was starving. Coraline recognised this look because she had seen it often enough on herself. Even half-vampires like her grandmother had their limits, they still could die under extreme circumstances. Victoria's face was much thinner, her green eyes dull and sunken, and her bright red hair was limp and lackluster. She had a half-resigned, half-defiant look etched into her porcelain visage and her eyes were haunting, pleading those who beheld them to save her. She stood but was leaning against a drab, grey wall for support, her iron bedstead visible to the right. Before Edward could tear the album to shreds in his rage, it was taken away from him and passed around the room. At least, Cora mused, he really did care even though he'd threatened to kill her just an hour or so before. Clearing her throat, she picked up the diary, flipped forward several entries, and began to read.

"Wednesday, November 8, 1944

Journal:

Why? I don't understand it. He is my father and yet... and yet he treats me as nothing more than a subject. I am nothing to him, he does not even bother to show his face more than a few times a year. His mindless lackies do all his dirty work. He can't be too bothered with me, he just makes the orders around this place.

Why am I so bitter, journal? I'll tell you why. It's just one thing after another with him. This time, he has deprived me of both solid food and blood. It was my birthday that I last ate, journal, and such a feast it was, too. Ha, I should have _KNOWN_ that it was too good to be true. My stomach burns with the hunger, I feel ill and I am shaking. I cannot sustain myself much longer, journal. He brings me to the brink before allowing me respites of any kind. This time is no different.

I remember reading so many stories, stories of fathers that love their daughters. What of the father in Beauty and the Beast? The father who was willing to take things from a seemingly abandoned castle to give to his daughters just to make them happy? What of the father of Cinderella, the man who married that woman just so his daughter could have a mother? Even if she was a truly vile and repugnant woman? What of all the other wonderful fathers who love their daughters, spread throughout literature spanning all ages? But no, my father will never be like that.

And he's always going on, insulting mother like she was less than dirt. "She was human," he always rants when he doesn't think I get it. "She was vulnerable. She was weak. She was _WORTHLESS."_ and I hate him more and more for saying that. Mother, why could you not have lived? Why did you fall into his trap? Did you love me? The daughter who killed you? You were never around for me, Mother, because you died and I resent you for that. But then again, it wasn't your fault, was it? And so I love you. I can always hold onto the dream of the perfect mother I wish you had the chance to be. I love you, Mother, more than anybody else.

But I hate him. I hate him with a fiery passion. I want to hack him apart with a blunt-edged axe, I want to burn him slowly and painfully, saving his head for last. I want him and his mindless newborn henchmen to pay for everything they have done and will do. I will kill him someday, I will kill them _ALL._ Then, and only then, can my mother rest in peace."

Coraline shakily lowered the diary, this was definitely one of the more powerful, albeit disturbing, entries in it. It was the first time that Victoria actually considered killing her father.

"What all..." Edward asked in a choked voice. Coraline knew what he meant immediately. What all had he done?

"A l-lot of things. H-he starved her, beat her to see how m-much she could take. He even t-turned scientists with access to different st-strains of d-diseases. She always recovered fully, b-but that doesn't mean she w-wasn't close to dying m-more than once." Coraline stammered shakily. What her great-grandfather had done made her sick. It was inhumane and made Coraline remember her own loveless childhood quite vividly. Sure, the Dursleys didn't have access to strains of diseases, nor did they have a basement filled with a variety of torture devices, but that didn't stop them, especially her aunt. Joshua Rafe's characteristics had skipped one generation entirely and had planted themselves right in Petunia Dursley, formerly Evans.

"Is he?" Edward asked in a low, deadly growl.

"What?" Coraline said, almost forgetting what she had said earlier.

"You said he was dead. Is he truly? Is that bastard _ACTUALLY_ dead for what he _DARED_ to do to my _NIECE?"_ he demanded, his liquid gold eyes boring into Coraline's intense emerald ones.

"Yes." she answered simply, knowing that no other words needed to be said.

"Good." Rosalie spat, her eyes flashing onyx. "Anybody who _DARES_ abuse a child like that deserves to be dropped into the deepest, darkest, most torturous pits of _HELL!"_ Emmett nodded tightly, tenderly wrapping an arm around his mate and squeezing her close to him.

"The poor dear!" the sensitive, kind-hearted Esme sobbed. Like Rosalie, she simply couldn't understand how a father could treat his daughter so abominably.

"I have seen and heard many horrible things in my 393 years as a vampire and even my twenty-five as a human but this... this atrocity... it really takes the cake." Carlisle said thickly, his British accent, suppressed for centuries, slipping back into his voice full-force.

"To treat a lady like that... his own daughter... I would kill him... no morals nor honour..." Jasper ranted, his Southern accent very pronounced in his fury. Alice said nothing, she just sat their. She was shuddering and her eyes were distant. Jasper squeezed her shoulder.

"Are you okay?" he asked softly.

"S-Sure. I'm j-just a little shaken up. That's h-horrible, really." she stammered, her eyes focusing on the here and now.

"I think it best we get this over with." Carlisle said authoritatively.

"Yes, all right." Cora nodded. "This next bit takes place about three and a half years later. My grandmother was biologically seven and a half, physically full grown at eighteen, intellectually in her mid twenties, and emotionally the same. She was just about done growing, except perhaps mentally and emotionally. Anyway, she was almost eight when she first tried running away. But her father stopped her and dealt a trump card that even she couldn't ignore. Her new baby sister." the emotionally worn red-head flipped forward in the album and passed it around. The picture showed a fully-grown, and thankfully healthier-looking, Victoria sitting on that same old iron bedstead. She looked very much like her mother save for the few traits visible from her father which could be spotted in her early photos. In her arms was a pink bundle of blankets. From within them peeked a pale little face with an adorable button nose, full, pink lips, and large, dark grey eyes. She already had a head of soft, thick, jet-black curls. The child looked to already be a few weeks old but, judging by how fast half-vampires grow, she was probably more like three days. A few of those who saw the picture, including Coraline, Edward, Carlisle, and Remus glanced between the picture of the baby and Alice who sat their, doing nothing but staring dazedly at the picture of the little hybrid and her big sister. Setting the album down and picking up the journal again, Coraline flipped forward a fair bit before she stopped and cleared her throat.

Saturday, April 3, 1948

Journal:

I tried. I did my best to sneak out of this wretched hellhole now that I am well and truly grown. I had been memorising the pattern of Father's henchmen, that's what _I_ call them anyway, for almost two years now. I finally was able to calculate the time when the guard would be thinnest so that I could sneak past them somehow. Though most of them are vampires, eugenicists and biologists and mathematicians and such, I would hardly call them bright. They're all too predictable. I waited so long to make sure that they weren't just lulling me into a false sense of security, they weren't. One would think that some of the so-called greatest innovators of their fields, at least in their respective countries, would be a little less obvious. But they underestimated my intelligence.

So you might wonder, journal, if it was so easy than why am I writing in your pages about my failure? I'll tell you why, my father. There he was, leaning against the front door of the converted warehouse like the smug bastard that he is. I wanted to cut his head off and burn it then and there. But I couldn't. It's not because I froze up, reluctant to kill the man who sired me. No, it was because of her. She was just there, innocent, slumbering in his arms. She didn't know what was going on, who anybody was. Who is she, journal? I should think that is quite obvious, right? It is obvious because she is just like I was.

Allow me to be a little less cryptic. In my father's arms was a baby. Not just any baby but my little sister. She barely looked more than a few days old. She was as pale as I and a soft down of black hair already covered her little head.

"This is your sister, Victoria." my father said to me, that infernal, odious smirk making its way onto his cruel face. "You wouldn't want to run away and leave this poor, innocent child behind, would you? She is just like you, Victoria. She will grow up here with us as her family, isn't that delightful? And, as she grows, her biological integrity shall be tested in far greater ways than yours ever was as I know the little things that you are capable of now."

"You will _NOT_ hurt her!" I had shouted, snatching the unaware child from his arms.

"Truly, Victoria? If that is the case, my darling daughter, than you shall stay behind. Who knows what I would do to the dear if she did not have such a... may I say... feisty protectorate as yourself? I shall let you go but, if you choose to leave, than I shall keep my daughter in payment. My pretty little Mary-Alice shall pave the road to the evolution of mankind, just as you have laid the foundations, my lovely Victoria."

And so I have decided to stay. As much as I loathe this place and all it stands for, I can't leave another to a fate that might be worse than mine. I can tell in her face that she is my little sister. She has Father's cheekbones and his ears. Also, from the portraits I have seen of my father as a human, she has his grey eyes. She's so small and looks so fragile, the thought of that demonic thing that calls himself our father hurting her makes my stomach turn.

She is just like I am, a victim of circumstance. Our father bragged to me about the petite half-Russian dancer that he had wooed. Her name was Natasha Katerina Brandon and she was not older than eighteen. He even gave me a picture to stick right by the one of my own mother. Little Mary-Alice looks very much like her except she does not have Natasha's cheekbones, ears, or sparkling blue eyes. As soon as he left us in our so-called room, I kissed my baby sister's head. I swear that I will protect her always and nothing, not my father, not his henchmen, not hell or high water, will stop me.


	5. Chapter 5

A/N:

I am SO sorry for not having this chapter out sooner. I don't have a lot of excuse to have left you hanging for two months. I had exam week for those five classes in early December. Then, I had my SD CARD PLUGGED INTO OUR HOME DESKTOP WHICH IS VERY SICK INDEED AND, ALL OF THE SUDDEN, I had to reformat it. Basically, I completed a process that would enable my card to work again at the expense of ALL the data I had on there. Two years of old college assignments and several stories, outlines, and the like obliterated in one fell swoop. I am only now just getting back into writing. I will try and have the next chapter of OWL to you by Valentine's Day but don't hold your breath. I lost all my changes, notes, and outlines for that, too. I just wrote this chapter in one sitting for you, the readers because I really felt bad for having nothing out for you sooner. It is more than 3000 words which will have to do for now. I start Lily's story in the next chapter. I apologise to those of you who are of the mindset that these journal chapters are nothing but filler drivel but they are VERY important. Oh, I looked at Alice on the wiki and it says she was born around the same time as Edward. I am sorry if people do not like that I changed that. I did, however, make it so that James would have been able to track Alice in 1958/1959 as he would have just been turned according to my changes. And she went to a mental hospital, not an insane asylum. I guess you can consider that a difference or not but whatever. I doubt they had "asylums" in the 1950's. That is why the wording on that is changed.

Sorry for the long A/N and I hope you enjoy the story. If you have enough time to favourite and alert me, would you consider a review? It's your choice but they're great. Aaanyway, ENJOY!

Chapter Five: Vini Viti Vicky, Part Two

As Cora's voice faded out, everyone sat in shocked silence. That was, of course, until Alice burst into a fit of dry sobbing and mumbling.

"Tori... Tori... big sis... the best... she always protected me... and I _FORGOT_ her. How _COULD_ I?" any further words were swallowed up as she continued to sob. Even though there were no tears falling out of her eyes like flowing waterfalls to travel in rivulets down her porcelain cheeks, everyone could feel the emotions that the little vampire was displaying. One didn't need to be Jasper to figure out that she was in extreme emotional conflict and pain. Coraline knew, even without entering into her newly-found grandaunt's mind, that the wall which had been blocking off her human, or not so human as the case was, memories had dissolved. Before anyone could give comfort, Jasper had his petite mate held protectively in his arms and was rocking her slowly back and forth.

"Hush, Alice. It's okay. We're all here for you." he soothed. "Can you tell me what you remember, my love?" Alice sniffled for a few more minutes but eventually turned in Jasper's lap to face everyone else. Edward and Cora in particular were looking at her in concern.

"Cora was right when she said that the man who sired my sister and I was a cruel, cold-hearted bastard. But Victoria... Tori... always was protective of me and tried to keep that man's attention on her instead of me. Sometimes it worked, sometimes it didn't. And it continued for the next eight years or so. But he... he wanted to take it to far... and Tori snapped. All I remember is fire... a lot of fire..." Alice trailed off.

"And you must have been sent to the mental hospital after that." Edward surmised. Alice nodded.

"I wasn't really lucid. I kept going on about my sister and all of the things our sperm donor had done to us. I must have sounded quite mad..." she laughed almost hysterically.

"What was that bastard planning for you and your sister?" Jasper growled. Alice burst into sobs again, unable to respond.

"My grandmother's journal has the answers. I have no picture to show you as she is alone at this point and looks the same." Coraline responded shakily. "Should I read the relevant entry?" Alice nodded in affirmation and Coraline flipped through the pages.

"Friday, July 13, 1956

Dear Journal:

I killed her. (large splotch of dry tears) I know I did, there's no question. How could my sweet and vulnerable little sister have survived? I haven't any clue. All I know is that sick fuck was going to go too far. (the strokes here are heavy and angry) All I felt was hate. I had to stop him. But I make little sense, am I correct? I shall have to start from the beginning of the incident.

He had come into the room of my beloved little sister, Mary-Alice, and I for one of his sporadic visits which he undertakes a scant five or six times a year. He (teardrop) he said that, now that both of us were grown, he wanted to see how we would react in different situations within pregnancy. Illnesses, injuries, and the like. (more angry script) He also said that he wanted to, over the course of the next few generations, examine the effects of _INCEST_ on some of our children. When he said that Alice would join him in his bed this very night, I just snapped. I don't know what hit me but all of the sudden he and everything around me was caught up in a roaring orange fire. I was so angry that all I wanted was for everything my so-called father had stood for to be destroyed. I wanted him and his bastard cohorts to pay dearly for all that he had done.

All of my energy went into making that fire, all of it. Before I know it, I had passed out. When I woke up, everything around me was rendered into heaps of rubble and ash. I saw the remains of my father in front of me. For a terrible moment, I was actually happy. My bastard of a biological father was gone for good. But then I realised something. My little sister was nowhere in sight. I looked all over the burnt-out warehouse for her but she (teardrop) she was nowhere (teardrop) to be found. I just know that she is dead, nothing but ashes in the wind. How on earth could she have survived that? She couldn't have, (teardrop,) that's how. I guess that I survived because of the fact I created the fire in the first place. But she didn't and I let the rage consume me. For the rest of my life, I will hate myself. (teardrop) I will always remember from now and through eternity what my foolishness cost me: my darling, innocent little sister. I can, and will, never be able to forgive myself. (large puddle of dried teardrops)"

By the time the young hybrid was finished reading, it could be said for those who could cry tears that there wasn't a dry eye in the house. And for those who couldn't, it could also be said that there was not a set of shoulders that were not shaking nor were there any throats that were not constricted in a sob.

"But I _DID."_ Alice said in a small voice. "I _DID_ survive. I don't know who or how but I was shielded... I was shielded and I _RAN._ I ran when I could've been with her, I could've stayed... and maybe things would be different. Maybe... maybe she wouldn't have turned out the way she has."

"What do you mean?" Coraline demanded.

"I am sorry we are laying this on you like this but it is my belief, and most likely that of my family, that we have come in contact with this Victoria before. You bare a great resemblance to her, Coraline. As I said, we have come across her before. She is a vampire who is after Edward's human girlfriend, Isabella, for a form of revenge against him and, by extension, our entire family." Carlisle said. Coraline's head snapped up from the diary and towards the young-llooking vampire, her emerald eyes filled with shock.

"Are you certain?" she asked.

"Most definitely." Edward cut in.

"Shit." she swore. "I guess she didn't die giving birth to my mother after all."

"Why would she have?" Esme asked with some curiosity.

"Because my mother's father was a vampire and my mother was stronger than her." Coraline said. The Cullens looked shocked.

"You mean to tell me that your mother was only a quarter human?" Carlisle asked in astonishment.

"Yes. But we're skipping an important part of my grandmother's story here. I'll continue for now and we'll figure this interesting new tidbit out after we've finished what I know of her story." Coraline said firmly. Everyone else nodded in agreement.

"So what did Tori do after she... after she thought... after she thought she killed me?" Alice asked quietly from her safe position wrapped in Jasper's protective arms.

"She travelled awhile. She basically liquidated her, as Alice called him, sperm donor's many bank accounts and went travelling around the world. In 1965, she met a charming, completely human businessman in a pub in London. I have a picture of them shortly after that night." Coraline said. Grabbing up the correct album, she flipped it until she came to the right page. In one of the pictures was a still youthful-looking Victoria with a handsome, dark-haired man of around twenty-five or so. His lips were full, his face round and kind, and his eyes were light blue and dancing with mirth. The only thing that might be considered to detract from his appearance was his slightly large nose. But it fitted his friendly face and happy-go-lucky attitude which showed through the photograph. The Cullens, again, became somewhat wide-eyed.

"No way." Rosalie scoffed. "He looks too old to be who you think he is."

"But rose..." Jasper said forcefully. "You could recognise that nose anywhere."

"Let me guess. You've come across my grandfather along with my grandmother." Cora said flatly.

"Yeah. But he was way too stiff to be this guy." Emmett interjected.

"Because he isn't. This man here that my grandmother met was his twin brother. But I'll explain that later. I'm going to read the journal entry now."

"Saturday, April 3, 1965

Dearest, most wonderful diary:

Today, a man made me feel. Towards him, I know not what I felt. All I know is that I felt more than scorn, hatred, or disdain. After my treatment at the hands of my father and his men for so long, even with the lack of sexual threat or action until that last, fateful day, I never thought that I would be able to look at a man and not be thrown back into my memories and my misery.

After nearly nine years of freedom, I finally made it into London last night. I decided that, to get a feel for the city, I would go out and do a little club hopping. It was at one of those clubs that I found him. Well, I say that I found him but it was really he who found me. He walked over with his drink, sat down beside me, and said "hi." I couldn't believe it. I didn't say hello back, as I usually do, because I didn't feel like having to keep up a mindless conversation, as is often the case when one meets strangers. But he persisted and said hello again.

I asked him what he wanted and he simply shrugged and said it looked like I could use some company. I told him to take a hike and that I wouldn't fall for his lines but he just shook his head. He said it looked like I was lonely and needed a friend, as hard as that is to believe. He said his name was Joseph, Joseph Evans. I immediately thought it a nice name, plain but nice. My mother went for a man with a mysterious name and look where it got her? I have nothing wrong with plain, ordinary names whatsoever.

Anyway, I told him my name as well, as much as I loathe my surname. He said it was a beautiful name and it suited me. I couldn't help myself blushing. I wondered what was with me? I still do, in fact. I _NEVER_ blush. But I blushed with Joseph around. He asked about my family and I remained tight-lipped. He told me that his mother and father lived out in Surrey, I think that's a county south of London, and that he had a flat a few blocks away from the club we were in at the time.

I was floored when he told me, after some minutes of awkward silence, that he had a twin brother. He died, he said, when he was eighteen in a car accident which Joseph had survived. Feeling like, since he had said something so personal, I should reciprocate in some fashion, I told him the bare bones of my early life. My mother died in childbirth and I was raised by my father. He had a daughter by another woman when I was almost eight and my baby sister's mother, likewise, died from childbirth. I told him of how a fire had taken our house, my father, and my sister when I was almost sixteen. His eyes didn't show pity but empathy and understanding. I think that's why I decided to sit and talk with him instead of leaving to another club.

At the end of the night, he asked me if I would like to go to dinner and a show tonight. I can still hardly believe myself but I accepted. I actually _ACCEPTED._ This is the first real date I'll have ever had and I really hope it works. Joseph is so nice and charismatic with just the right amount of happy-go-lucky to add into the mix. I'm really looking forward to meeting up with him again tonight. I think we can become great friends at the least. I know it's a bit, maybe more than a bit, early to think about this but maybe, in time, we can become something more?"

Coraline finished reading that entry with a wistful smile on her face. Maybe, had Joseph Evans never died in that plane crash, things would have turned out a lot differently. But, she sighed, it was no use submerging oneself in the "what ifs" of life and forgetting about the "what is'". The interest of the Cullens, the only ones in the room to have not heard the story yet, seemed to be peaked. Even Alice had seemed to compose herself a bit better and was now sitting on the couch with one of Jasper's arms draped around her tiny shoulders.

"I do hope she was happy, even for awhile. Tori deserved that so badly." Alice sighed.

"And now?" Coraline asked questioningly.

"I... I don't know. For all we know, Tori could have walled up her memories just like I did so only some impulses shine through. Maybe... it could be that this is why she is so violent towards Edward and Bella's relationship?"

"How do you mean?" Coraline demanded.

"We can talk about that later. I think that we should continue with the journals." Edward said.

"Fine. Well, Gran was happy, for a time. She married Joseph Evans, who if you haven't guessed by now is _NOT_ my grandfather, in early 1968. By August 29, she had given birth to my aunt, Petunia. It is she who I lived with throughout my childhood and I do not like talking about her. However, for Alice and Edward's sake, I will read the entry Grandma Victoria made upon her birth. But first, here's a picture." said Coraline, taking the album and flipping forward a few pages. It showed Victoria sitting up in a hospital bed with a bundle in her arms. A somewhat thin-faced, for a newborn anyway, baby girl had her head peaking out of the pink blankets she was swaddled in. Her skin was quite fair and a fine tuft of her hair that was her father's mother's blonde sat atop her head. It could be seen that the baby already had her father's nose. Coupled with her mother's father's thinner facial structure, she almost looked like a little bird who had been half-heartedly transfigured into a human. She was cute but still a bit bird-like all the same. After the album was passed around, Coraline set it down and took up the journal once more, flipping it to the correct page.

"Thursday, August 29, 1968

Dear Journal:

Today, I had a child. I had a child and I lived to be able to write about it. She is only a few hours old but I love her dearly already. She looks a bit like me but she's got her nose and hair from her father's side and I'm certain that she will have his eyes. I just can't stop gushing over her. Never in my wildest dreams would I have thought I could be so happy. Nearly twelve years ago, I was about to become a baby factory, a whore to my father and his henchmen, both vampire and human. But now, before age 28, I am happily married and have a beautiful, precious, darling little girl.

I was at a loss of what I was going to name her at first. I couldn't think of anything. I wanted to honour my sister but it would be too painful to call her by those names, either Mary or Alice, all of the time. Joseph suggested I give her a flower name like his mother has. I liked that idea a lot. I think, to be honest, that some of the more beautiful but less recognised flowers are Petunias. It takes just the right sort of person to see all the beauty that they hold. I can tell that my daughter will be just that type. But I can't forget my sister altogether. Joseph agreed to make Alice her middle name. Welcome to the world, Petunia Alice Evans, Mommy loves you and always will."

Coraline shook her head as she set the journal down. That hadn't lasted long and everyone else was going to be made aware of just what had happened less than two years after her aunts' birth.

"I assume by your facial expression that something happened." Carlisle observed. Coraline nodded.

"You're right. The thing is, Joseph Evans died in a plane crash in the spring of 1969, before my aunt even turned one. My grandmother was, at least as far as I can tell through her journal, almost mad with grief. She could barely take care of Petunia. One night, my aunt was at her grandparents' house and so my grandmother thought she would go out and try her best to drink her grief away. Unlike what you might think, even partial vampires can get buzzed or even drunk if they consume enough alcohol. And my grandmother had enough charm to keep them coming, even after what very well should have been her cut-off. That is when he found her, my grandfather. You shouldn't need a picture to imagine what he looks like." Coraline explained.

"The twin?" all seven Cullens asked.

"The twin." Cora confirmed, flipping forward in the diary. "Here is the entry she wrote the day after the fact."

"Wednesday, March 28, 1969

Journal:

"Stupid, stupid, _STUPID!_ That's just what I need, to have sex with a goddamn vampire and, knowing my luck, I'll probably become pregnant with his child to boot. But he just looked so much like him, diary, so much. I knew that he was of the same sort my father was, at least biologically, but I really didn't care. It was just like I had my Joseph back again. I could pretend I was in his warm, human arms. I could imagine his bright blue eyes looking down on me with tenderness. I could hear this virtual stranger's voice and believe, if only for the smallest of moments, that it was my Joseph who whispered his tender, sweet nothings in my ear.

But it wasn't. That man wasn't Joseph and I knew that. It didn't matter how drunk I was, I would always be able to pick out my Joseph from the crowd. This man, he looked so similar. And I know why now. Apparently, shortly after the car accident where everybody thought he had died, before the medics came, he had been taken by a vampire who had took an interest in him. He was changed as soon as they were far enough away from the scene. My Joseph had been able to drag himself away from the car just before it caught fire so the authorities thought his twin had died in the blaze.

That's who I slept with last night, much to my incredulous disbelief at my actions. None other than James Evans, twin to my beloved Joseph. When I say twin, I mean it in the closest sense of the word. The only difference that I could ever be able to tell would be if my Joseph as I knew him were to stand beside James as he is now. Both have the same face, the same hair, the same nose. But James is, as all of his kind are, a pale, porcelain white. And I cannot forget those ruby red eyes and how unnerving they were. But I didn't care. I just want to forget my pain, leave behind my suffering, but I have the feeling that I cannot. Not for another several months, at any rate."

"And she was right." said Cora, lowering the journal. "That's how she became pregnant with my mother. Her gestation period was almost normal, somewhere around seven months or so. She didn't see much of James in that time but she actually grew closer to him. It was her greatest wish that she could drop her life as it was and go off with James into the sunset, pretending they had something they didn't. Either that, or die so she could se her mother, sister, and Joseph again. As it came time to give birth, the second wish was more prevalent."

"Oh, poor woman." Esme said sympathetically.

"I suppose it can be said that we are beginning to see some of her motives." Carlisle added.

"What do you mean?" Cora queeried.

"We'll go over that after you have finished with your grandmother's story. Then, we can tell you what we know of her." he responded.

"Fine. Well, I'll read her entry which is dated just before she went into labour. Then, you can tell me what you know about my grandmother. From what you have said, she seems to be quite unhinged. Don't say anything right now, just let me read. All right?" asked Coraline. Everyone nodded. Taking a deep breath, Coraline flipped to the last page of her grandmother's journal.

"Thursday, January 29, 1970

My friend, the journal:

I know in my heart that today will be the last time I ever write in you. This will be the last time that my pen lays its nib down onto your clean, white pages. In fact, I doubt I shall write on anything else before my time comes. And I know it will come. This child inside of me, she is stronger than I am. And I feel certain the child _will_ be a she. As I said, she is stronger and has more of the blood to make her so. The pregnancy has been a risk but it has been one I have been willing to take. Perhaps, like what occurred to my mother, I will be able to drift off and join my loved ones.

I will meet my mother truly for the first time. I will be able to reconnect with my beloved Joseph and hope that he will forgive me for seeking out a substitute, his twin brother no less. Also, I will finally se Alice again and tell her how terribly sorry I am for killing her what seems like so long ago now. As soon as I am ready, I will go to the hospital and have my child. And I will not fight it, either. If I am to die than let me die in peace. I have only one request to make, that my daughter be named Lily Elizabeth. Lily for the purity, beauty, and innocence that I know my baby will have. Elizabeth for my grandmother, a woman who died far before her time for no real reason at all. I cannot name her for my own mother as that wound is too raw for me, even after more than twenty-nine years. Even though I know I am not long for this world, I have one last thing to say. I love you, my darling Petunia and Lily. I know I would love to see you grow up but cannot. Do not make the same mistakes I and your grandmother have made lest your paths be wrought with misery which is only rarely dappled in spots of fleeting happiness."

"Oh, Tori." Alice cried out, her dry sobs coming back full-force.

"I know, I know." Coraline said. "Well, she died the next day, or so I thought. They wheeled her straight to the morgue after my mother was born. But your observations tell me otherwise."

"Yes. We have had run-ins with a vampire named Victoria. She is a dead ringer, save for the eyes, for your grandmother. And, until last year, she had a mate named James who fits the description and would fit the picture had he been human." Carlisle explained.

"Until last year?" Coraline asked, latching at that little tidbit. The three Cullen boys looked sheepish.

"What did you do?" Draco demanded, glaring at all three of them. He'd be damned if he let people withhold information from his sister. She'd gone through enough of that for a dozen or more lifetimes.

"You se..." Emmett trailed off.

"He was disposed of." Jasper finished cooly.

"Explain." Coraline demanded with a snarl.

"James has a habit of tracking humans down for sport and, ever since they ran into our family and Bella last winter, he had been after her. He lured her to her old dance studio in Phoenix, saying he had kidnapped her mother. He snuck into her mother's house, got a video tape featuring her mother's voice, and played it so Bella was fooled. She went there before we could stop her." Edward burst out.

"We got there just in time to dispose of him." Jasper said with a sigh.

"_KABOOM!"_ one of the Cullen boys exclaimed, no guesses as to who that was.

"_EMMETT!"_ everyone cried.

"What? Thought the mood could use a little lightening up." he said defensively.

"I wasn't going to let him kill my Bella." Edward burst out at Coraline's unreadable expression.

"So let me get this straight. My grandfather went after my great-granduncle's human mate causing said great-granduncle to kill my grandfather? And now, my grandmother, who probably has as many memories of her human life as Alice did, is after Bella, and by extension you all, because of it since he was the only connection she had to her forgotten husband and children?" Coraline demanded.

"I'm afraid you've got it in a nutshell, Coraline." Carlisle sighed tiredly.

"Oh bloody hell." Coraline cursed, "my family is _SO_ fucked up.


	6. Chapter 6

A/N:

Hi, everybody! I'm _SOOOOO_ sorry for not posting anything in awhile. And I'm especially sorry for neglecting Wolves and Blood Pops for as long as I have. I was suffering a major case of writer's block for this particular story which I am slowly breaking through. This chapter is my shortest chapter for this story to date but I plan on posting a longer version later this month. I'll also be going back through and reworking some aspects of a few of my stories, though not to such a degree that they'll be unrecognizable. Also, some of you might be happy to note, I'm currently in the process of giving _The Outcasts Who Lived_ a major facelift/make-over and I hope to have the knew chapter one out within the next couple of weeks. Unfortunately, some of us authors can't be like the wonderful Bobmin356 or Robst and spit out totally awesome chapters within two weeks. Just bare with me, people, and I'll try my best to make my stories as good as they can be. I do take suggestions for any and all of my stories except Hawthorn and Lyra which I will be taking down promptly because they totally suck and the main characters are the poster-children for Mary-Sues. If you want to send anything along, I accept anonymous and signed reviews as well as private messages. Also, if English is not your first language, I will accept said messages in your native script and muddle through them using my own knowledge of the language in the case of Spanish and an online translator in the case of everything else.

I sincerely hope that you aren't too disappointed with this sliver of a chapter. My main desire as an author is that my readers enjoy what I write, even though I do admit openly that I have a long way to go before I can be considered half as good as some authors out there. I'd also like to thank my French reviewer Sayuri494 for basically giving me the motivation to post what I have. Thanks, Sayuri.

Disclaimer: Well, unfortunately I don't have the creativity to disclaim in a way that will amuse anybody. All I can say is that I don't own HP or Twilight and, if people don't get that, I'll be more than happy to bash them over the head with a virtual marble hammer.

Cheers and enjoy the chapter!

Chapter Six: The Life of Lily Evans

Everyone laughed nervously at Coraline's proclamation. It wasn't exactly funny but laughter was the only emotion that could be displayed. It was just that surreal.

"And I thought the Blacks were bad." Tonks murmured. "My mother's cousin's parents were second-cousins and there's at least one person disowned every generation."

"You think the Blacks are bad? Ha! Not only am I tied to _THEM_ but I'm a Malfoy, too. My grandparents disowned my aunt for falling in love with a non-human, never mind the fact that Grandmother was non-human herself. Then, my father enslaves himself to a megalomaniac, marries my mother, has me, and bribes his way out of prison and into high government offices. Now, my parents are in prison and I'm reunited with my cousin again."

"Before everyone goes off on a tangent of how fucked up their families are to make me feel better, I feel I must interrupt." Cora said with a small grin. "But seriously, though, thank you. I love you all, my fucked up, dysfunctional family." she turned to the Cullens. "And I think I'll eventually feel the same way with you lot in time. Just give it awhile."

"We have all the time in the world." Edward responded.

"Literally." Emmett added. Everyone cracked a grin at that.

"Okay. Onto more serious matters, right? Now, it's finally time for my mother's story. It's significantly more happy, at least until she's around sixteen or so. As you'll see in pictures, her physical development is slower than normal. By the time she was about twenty, she looked around seventeen and a half." Coraline explained.

"Is that the same case with you?" Carlisle asked curiously.

"Yes. Even though my father has no vampire heritage, his other heritage, which I will go into later, as well as the strong vampire presence from my mother's side has slowed my growth. As far as we can tell, my development physically, emotionally, mentally, and magically is identical to that of my mother's."

"How old are you, dear?" Esme asked curiously. "thirteen? Fourteen?"

"Sixteen, actually. I'll be seventeen at the end of July." Coraline said.

"Seriously?" Rosalie asked, incredulous.

"Yes. I age slower than normal, remember?" Cora sighed.

"Right, sorry. It's just you look young... on the surface, anyway." Rosalie muttered abashedly.

"It's fine. The secretary at Forks Hi thought I was a freshman. Anyway, onto my mother's story. After my grandmother... well... disappeared, both Mum and Aunt Petunia were sent off to live in Surrey with their grandparents, Dahlia and Harrison Evans. They were as good as parents to them and loved them equally, despite what my aunt might tell you. Now then, I'm going to pass around the album and show a picture of my mother, age six, and my aunt, age eight." Coraline said.

"I thought you didn't like to talk about your aunt." Edward said.

"I don't. But this is necessary. I need to show you just how far my aunt fell in her jealousy of my mother." Coraline frowned. Taking the rightmost album, she opened it to a page where two little girls in sun dresses stood beaming and holding hands. The one on the left was tall, fair-skinned, and long-necked. Her blonde hair was in a long plait down her back and her blue eyes shown with happiness. The one on the right was a good bit shorter and more fair-skinned than her sister. She looked a great deal like her deceased mother save for the fact that her facial structure and mouth were more her father's and her hair was a darker shade of red. Said hair was in two somewhat messy pigtails which made the six-year-old look all the cuter. The best part about the picture was the look of happiness on the red-head's face which had been absent on the similar faces of her mother and grandmother. Tonks, Luna, Alice, Rosalie, and Esme couldn't help but "awe" at the sight. The sisters were just so cute like that, and they seemed so happy.

"I can see why your aunt would be jealous, your mother got the looks of the family." Jasper said bluntly.

"_JAS!"_ Alice exclaimed. "That's my niece you're talking about."

"It's fine, really. He's right. And the difference only becomes more obvious in time. I'll be reading one of Mum's first diary entries, written around the same time." Cora grinned at Jasper while grabbing up the third, untouched diary. The cover was green and the name Lily Elizabeth Evans-Potter was embossed on it in gold. Coraline turned it to the correct page and began to read.

"Monday, June 7, 1976

Dear Diary:

I've got the very bestest sister in the world. I know that bestest isn't a _real_ word but I can't think of a better one. Best just sounds like it's too small for Tuney. You know about my sister already, diary, because I wrote about her to you before. But you don't know why I'm saying now that she's the bestest. So I'll tell you.

We were at the park today with Nana and Poppop watching over us. Tuney was playing on the mary-go-round and I was on the swings. A big fat boy with a gazillion chins came up behind me and pushed me off. He surprised me so much I just fell. He said that the swing was his, Vernon Dursley's, and silly little babies with stupid pigtails weren't allowed. I said "says who?" and he said "says me 'coz I'm more bigger and more older and more smarter than you so you better go before I make you." he might have been older and he was _way_ bigger. But i don't think he was smarter. I didn't move and he grabbed one of my pigtails. Before I could decide whether to use my weird strength on him, Tuney saw what was happening and stomped over. "You leave my little sister alone, you fat bully!" she shouted. And then she punched him in his chins.

So that's why, diary, Petunia is the bestest sister ever. I said she shouldn't have done that because the boy's mum and dad made a fuss about it and Tuney wound up getting a talking to by Nana and Poppop. But she said she didn't care. She said that she was my big sister and that's what she was s'posed to do: protect me. She said that she loved me and she always would and I know she will. We're sisters and nothing can change that."

"Youth's optimism strikes?" Carlisle queeried. Cora nodded and sighed.

"It was never that easy. Mum had a lot that Aunt Petunia didn't. She was smarter and prettier. She had a more potent concentration of vampire blood. But the thing that really drove the chasm between them was the fact that Mum had magic and Aunt Petunia didn't. In fact, that boy that she, once upon a time, punched in defence of her sister became her husband. It was they who, for lack of a more fitting word, _raised_ me." she explained. "Mum and Aunt Petunia's relationship started to go downhill when Mum was nine and they met a young wizard boy who lived in the neighbourhood named Severus Snape. It was he who first told my mother of the world that she would belong in upon her attending Hogwarts.

"Saturday, september 1, 1979

Dear Diary:

I just had the strangest day - stranger than usual - I suppose. I met this odd boy who lives in the poorer part of town, down on Spinner's End. He told me something that I'm still turning over in my head. Something fantastical and unbelievable. I can't really describe our meeting in good enough words so I'll just write it as I remember it. I think it'll be better that way for whoever might read this in the future, including me.

It was about 9:00, me and Tuney had just finished eating one of Nana's famous blueberry waffle breakfasts. I like mine with lots of maple syrup, yum. Anyway, Tuney asked me if I wanted to go to the park near our house and play on the playground. I said yes, of course. I just love the swings! So we went down there and started swinging. Lately, I've loved jumping off them really high because it's like I'm gliding when I go to the ground. After awhile, I started doing that again.

"No, Lily! Nana said you mustn't." Petunia cried as I jumped off again.

"But it's so fun, Tuney! Look!" I squealed, going another round.

"You could get hurt!" Tuney fussed.

"But I'm fine, Tuney. It's brilliant. And look what else I can do!" I grinned, landing on the gravel. I ran to the edge of the playground and then went through the grass until I found a flower I could pluck. Then, I concentrated hard and I was able to make it open and close. I don't like the way Tuney looked when I did it; it's like she was afraid, or jealous, or both.

"Stop that right now, Lily. What you're doing - it's _unnatural."_ she cried. That hurt a lot. I'd been wanting to show that trick to Tuney for weeks. But I couldn't think about that for long because, at that moment, a boy jumped down from a tree nearby and started towards us. I recognised him from the playground at school, but I didn't know his name or anything about him.

"I know what you can do." he said, looking at me.

"Have you been spying on us?" Tuney demanded angrily.

"No... I... well... I had to be sure..." he trailed off. He looked really uncomfortable.

"Come on, Lily. I know his type. He's one of _those_ boys from down at Spinner's End. You mustn't mix with such." Petunia sniffed.

"That's mean, Tuney." I defended him. Turning to the boy, who was dressed rather oddly by the way, I asked "What do you know about what I can do?"

"I know it means you're special, different. You're a witch." he said it like it was just a fact of life. I thought he was insulting me.

"That's a very rude thing to say. Maybe you were right, Petunia." I huffed, turning towards my sister who looked smug.

"No! That's not what I meant." the boy called breathlessly, trying hard to keep up with us as we walked away.

"Leave my sister alone. She doesn't need someone like you trying to confuse her." Petunia snapped angrily.

"But I'm not! Lily, right? You're special. That's why you can do some of the stuff you can. So can I, so can my mum. You're witches and I'm a wizard. I know it!" he seemed so sure of himself.

"Get away from us you - you _freak!_ My sister will have no business talking to somebody like _you._ I won't have you filling her up with this rubbish. Magic indeed. Come, Lily. It's almost lunch." Tuney pulled me along after her and I let her. I couldn't make myself do much else. Now, I wonder. What did that boy mean. He seemed like he believed it. Is he just some ill-meaning nutter? Is he some sort of a delusional cultist like Tuney keeps saying he is? Or is he being truthful? Am I really a... a... Am I really a _witch?_


End file.
